More Sahara dust expected to cross Cayman
(CNS): More hazy conditions are expected over the Cayman Islands this week from the Sahara dust, the National Weather Service has warned since Monday. This phenomenon can blunt tropical storms and also feeds the sargassum, but it can also play havoc with solar panels. With a large plume of Sahara dust moving west across the Caribbean Sea, with peak concentrations of Aerosol Optical Depths (AODs) expected in Cayman on Thursday, OfReg, the utilities regulator, is warning residents that have their own solar equipment and are on CUC’s CORE and DER programmes that they can expect a drop in power production as dust accumulates on their kit.
Although the plume is not as big as the one that passed over the Caribbean last June, it is still impacting air quality and creating other problems. ”Operators of utility-scale solar photovoltaic systems are likely to see a decline in power production this week. Wind generators can also be affected, although to a lesser extent,” said OfReg Executive Director for Energy, Gregg Anderson.
According to the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, operators of solar and wind farms should be aware that unless they increase the frequency of maintenance, dust will accumulate on the surfaces of solar panels and in wind turbine blades, worsening the impact on power production.
“On the distribution side, there will be reductions in the amount of electricity produced from customer-based — including roof-top solar PV — systems,” the CIMH stated. “As a majority of the systems are grid-tied, this situation would result in an increase in the demand of electricity from the grid from this group of customers. High AOD values make the operation of air conditioning and refrigeration systems more energy-intensive.”
At the same time the plume will trap heat close to ground surface. This will result in higher temperatures leading to higher electricity demand from the grid, while the contribution of solar PV and wind power will be lower than normal during the affected days. This situation is expected to improve by the end of the week as the Sahara dust plume moves away from our area.
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Category: Energy, Science & Nature, Weather
Ofreg will be hiring consultants soon to look at the problem.
😅😂🤣
I bet you 10 percent that is what they will do.
Well that was a waste of money washing the car!
I don’t understand why anyone would be “angry” about the dust. The SAL has been occurring long before we had the ability to measure it.
Plus, don’t forget that the Saharan Dust Layer tends to suppress the formation of hurricanes, by virtue of it being dry air. Go SAL!
People with solar panels should regularly wash them off if there hasn’t been any rain. We’ve had plenty of rain lately to accomplish that.
I disagree with this conclusion: ” At the same time the plume will trap heat close to ground surface. This will result in higher temperatures leading to higher electricity demand from the grid.” I don’t think this surge of dust will be significant enough to be more than barely measurable, let alone impact the ambient temperatures. We will see.
That’s how the islands got their red mole, over millions of years. But I digress in the good book it says it was delivered in a day.
One thing you left out in the good book,
A thousand years is like a day to God,
One thing I don’t understand with you atheists, you fight against a God that you don’t believe in and to me that’s very contradicting because if you don’t believe then why are you fighting lol,
Anyways it’s not my place to pass judgement I’ll just leave that to the bigger judge when your number is called,
#everylifehasanexpireydate
Because fairy tale readers continue to shove it down our throats by preaching or by causing wars.
Well most fairy tales were based off of actual events, but if you wasn’t born with it then it wasn’t meant for you to see.
Trust me God has a special place for people like you and the best part of all is that some day you too will find that out.
Prince Charming, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, seven dwarves, evil witches, men turning into frogs … yep, all based on actual events,
Most fairy tales are based off of actual events? Which ones? Hansel and Gretel? Puss n boots? Cinderella, snow white, sleeping beauty or rumplestiltskin? You believe that these are historically accurate? Seriously? You think Jack really planted a seed and proceeded to have a fe fi fo fkn adventure with a giant living in the clouds?
Wtf do you see that I don’t? I wasn’t born with the ability to see that Goldilocks was hanging out with porridge eating ppl friendly bears? Are you a descendent of the troll that lived under the bridge to greener pastures?!
This is why we can’t have nice things. A lack of critical thinking and a delusional ego that won’t allow you to accept you’re wrong and to adjust.
Ffs
That good book has caused many wars.
No you’re wrong, many wars were caused by man and their greed for the love of wealth which is the root of all evil, mankind has exploited the bible to justify blood shed up to this very day.
Remember this world belongs to the devil and we’re all just his pawns but God has his ways of punishing us for our hypocrisy (not sin) and if we keep submitting to the devil then our punishment will fall upon our children’s children.
And how exactly do you know this?
I have time today. Find some humility and get over yourself.
You’re no more special than a butterfly or some moss on a rock but you believe some how that you have an insider link to some battle between “a God and a devil”.
You can use your brain better. I believe in you. Don’t let me down.
You are destined for disappointment.
Another thing that has probably been happening forever, we just know, can see pictures + proof of it now
Look up the origin of Red Mole or Terra Rossa.
It appears as if every thing, natural or man made results in more money “spend” on the community. No break!