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Re:California farmers are planting solar panels as water sup... by petee on Thursday August 01, 2019 @08:56PM (#20589859)
That is a much better use of space, although I'm concerned that any shiny object near a roadway needs to be carefully aimed not to blind drivers (there is a certain gold-windowed building on 95/128 that comes to mind...)

I do recall seeing more parking lots being fitted with a solar roof, and vehicle charging below...this probably should be the primary use of panels, shading otherwise blacktop parking lots

Re:California farmers are planting solar panels as water sup... by tbabb on Thursday August 01, 2019 @10:07PM (#20590205)
> I'm concerned that any shiny object near a roadway needs to be carefully aimed not to blind drivers

We seem to deal with driving near the ocean and other bodies of water just fine.

Re:California farmers are planting solar panels as water sup... by petee on Friday August 02, 2019 @06:21PM (#20597117)
Big difference between a large flat reflector 20 feet away, and a uneven ocean surface, likely atleast 100 ft away...

That said, at the right angle, no, its not just fine, the ocean reflects alot of sun, just like anything else.

Re:California farmers are planting solar panels as water sup... by iso1337 on Thursday August 01, 2019 @10:35PM (#20590326)
Not to mention other cars have a lot of shiny surfaces too.
Re:California farmers are planting solar panels as water sup... by petee on Friday August 02, 2019 @06:22PM (#20597123)
Yes, but curved, not a large flat reflector. Huge difference
Re:California farmers are planting solar panels as water sup... by jws on Thursday August 01, 2019 @10:35PM (#20590322)
About aiming… solar panels want to be installed normal to the sun which means any reflection is going to go back toward the sun. Of course the sun moves around but the reflections are mostly sunward. You’d probably have to have panels in a steep valley to reflect back toward a road.