March 2023.
As we approach World Water Day, 22 March, Konkoonsies Solar Power, shares how its 11MW renewable energy power plant has implemented some ambitious water saving techniques, to the point that it is surrendering its water use license.
Solar PV plants are known for having little to no effect on their surrounding environment, however, solar panels usually get washed regularly with water, a resource that is considered even more valuable in this part of the country, which often experiences long period of crippling drought. Identifying this, Konkoonsies Solar Power decided to forgo manually washing their panels, relying solely on rainfall.
“Everyone assumes we wash the panels regularly, but we have discovered that rainfall is sufficient to wash the panels, saving around 180 000 litres of water per year,” explains Marli Schoeman, ESG & Biodiversity Manager at Konkoonsies Solar Power.
In addition to this, it has been found that the municipal water supply is more than sufficient to address the plant’s domestic water usage needs, hence this power project has taken the bold move to do away with its water use license.
World Water Day takes place every year to highlight the importance of protecting water. The current lack of clean water around the world, alongside the damaging effects of global warming, water pollution and damaged water tables means it is more important than ever to continue to find ways to conserve water.
