Water Utilities Are Using Solar Panels to Cut Evaporation Losses

Every year, about 1,400 gigaliters of water evaporates from dams and reservoirs across arid Australia, enough to fill Sydney Harbour three times, according to researchers at Deakin University.

To reduce this loss, Australian utilities are turning to floating solar installations on lakes and reservoirs. Covering and cooling a large part of the surface of bodies of water with panels reduces evaporation, while also generating electricity. In a country where climate change is making conditions even hotter and drier, and where fresh water is scarce, solutions like this are becoming more attractive.