Entries by Victorian Tilley

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Aquavoltaic System for Harvesting Salt and Electricity at the Salt Farm Floor: Concept and Field Test

This article describes concepts and designs of a photovoltaic system for harvesting salt and electricity at salt farm floor, with attention given to waterproofing, salt resistance, material and electrical safety, maintenance, and economic feasibility. The authors found that the power generation of the salt-farm parallel system is comparable to that of conventional solar power plants and that the cooling effect by seawater contributes more to the increase in the crystalline silicon photovoltaic module performance than does the absorption loss due to seawater by maintaining a certain height above the module.

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Aquavoltaics – Synergies for Dual Use of Water Area for Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Generation and Aquaculture

This paper reviews the fields of floatovoltaic (FV) technology (water deployed solar photovoltaic systems) and aquaculture (farming of aquatic organisms) to investigate the potential of hybrid floatovoltaic-aquaculture synergistic applications for improving food-energy-water nexus sustainability. In addition, several other symbiotic relationships are considered including an increase in power conversion efficiency due to the cooling and cleaning of module surfaces , a reduction in water surface evaporation rates, ecosystem redevelopment, and improved fish growth rates through integrated designs using FV-powered pumps to control oxygenation levels as well as LED lighting.

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Measuring and Conserving Irrigation Water

This NCAT ATTRA publication describes how to fi nd the net water application rate for any irrigation system. It further explains how to calculate the number of hours the system should be operated, describes several ways to measure flowing water in an open channel or pipeline, and offers suggestions for irrigating with limited water supplies.

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Maintaining Irrigation Pumps, Motors, and Engines

This NCAT ATTRA publication explains how to maintain irrigation pumps, motors, and engines for peak efficiency. The publication includes descriptions and diagrams of recommended installations, checklists for maintenance tasks, and a troubleshooting guide. Each system component is treated separately and maintenance tasks are broken down by how frequently they need to be done.

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Solar Grazing Checklist for Shepherds and Solar Site Managers

This is a two-page checklist covering the important issues for both shepherds and solar site managers to consider when managing vegetation under solar panels by grazing sheep. The checklist for solar-site operators includes grazing vs. mowing expectations, insurance updates, and arrangement considerations for the shepherd. The checklist for the shepherd includes determination of fencing plans, maintenance vehicle considerations, signage for property containing grazing animals, and vegetation management plans, among others.

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Photovoltaic Panels as Shading Resources for Livestock

Photovoltaic panels can provide artificial shades to protect livestock against intense solar radiation while serving as a clean energy source. This study determined livestock shade preference between photovoltaic panels and the classical 80% blockage cloth material, and quantified the reduction in radiant heat load provided by these shade structures. The results show that the cattle spent more than 70% of their time in the shade during conditions of the study. These results can be useful in determining best practices on agrisolar operations that include livestock.

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Option 2 ASGA Contract

This American Solar Grazing Association Sheep Grazing Agreement Template includes a variety of essentail considerations and topics when developing a contractual agreement between sheep farmers and solar-site managers, including the limited vegetation management approach. Some components of this contract template are adjustable depending on the context of the agreement, such as fee and payment schedules, and those options are highlighted in red in the document. Other components of the template include sheep health, welfare and management details, contract prices, use of herbicides and pesticides, fencing, signage and various maintenance concerns.

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Option 1 ASGA Contract

This American Solar Grazing Association Sheep Grazing Agreement Template includes a variety of essential considerations and topics when developing a contractual agreement between sheep farmers and solar-site managers, including the comprehensive vegetation management approach. Some components of this contract template are adjustable depending on the context of the agreement, such as fee and payment schedules, and those options are highlighted in red in the document. Other components of the template include sheep health, welfare and management details, contract prices, use of herbicides and pesticides, fencing, signage and various maintenance concerns.