Panels over channels and floating solar for evaporation mitigation

Evaporation loss from water storages is a significant challenge for the cotton industry.  Much research has been undertaken to develop and assess evaporation mitigation technologies. The cost has been a barrier to the uptake of a number of evaporation mitigation systems. Using solar panels (either floating or on a movable structure) as the shade and wind barrier will have the considerable advantage of on-site power generation which can be used, stored or fed into the grid to offset the significant capital cost. This project will: Identify and assess the scale of evaporation loss across the cotton industry and the technical and economic feasibility of evaporation mitigation technologies, especially floating solar arrays in storages and moveable solar structures over channels. Detail the prototyping requirement for the development, testing, and scaling up of solar panel systems for evaporation mitigation including monitoring and assessment technologies. Outline the next steps required to develop the system both commercially and technically.