Defeating drought: A technological breakhrough at Kariba Dam

Record temperatures, falling water levels, and intermittent power cuts may seem like the new normal in many parts of the country right now, but what will happen in the future? Many are predicting that climate change will continue to accelerate and that, as a result, these issues will only grow. But rather than focus purely on the potential negative consequences, we feel it’s time to highlight the continued ingenuity of the human spirit.

Defeating drought with new technology

While no one can bring the rain back with a single invention — this requires a collective global effort to address climate change — there is still much which can be done on the ground.

The continued drought means the level of the lake at the Kariba Dam has now dropped to the point where the hydroelectrics in the dam aren’t generating enough power and parts of the country are experiencing power cuts on a regular basis. The interesting part, however, is that leading engineers are currently designing a series of floating solar panel islands to put on the lake to generate more power.

Why solar?

Solar panels are designed to mimic the way in which plants capture sunshine on their leaves and turn it into energy. They are particularly well suited to hot, arid areas which are subject to constant illumination by intense sunlight.

Our nation has many such areas, the vast majority of which are simply sat in the sunshine, not contributing to the pending energy crisis. The solution is a simple one, and one which can be tackled by the country’s leading engineers in a relatively short period of time. Solar panels are also a highly scalable, low-maintenance source of power generation that can be ramped up quickly.

If you also factor in how simple — relatively speaking — it is to feed the power generated from solar panels into the national energy grid, you start to see the real benefits. The technology to do all of the above is already deployed and leveraged around the world, and it’s now the moment for Zimbabwe to follow suit. Just what you want to hear when it’s time to change the future of the country for the better by shifting from an over-reliance on certain technologies to a more progressive, diverse outlook.

Why use solar on the lake?

It may seem like a project that is more about PR and making a political statement than anything else, but this point of view simply could not be further from the truth. The fact that the lake’s water level continues to fall tells you everything you need to know about the average solar flux that hits its surface. If you then add in the large surface area of the lake, you see that it makes for the perfect foundation on which to build a versatile solar energy supply.

All of the technology to feed the generated power into the national grid and carry it away to consumer properties is already well-established. This means that a solar island can be built and integrated relatively quickly, and all without having to build from scratch in a different part of the country. It should also be noted that this ambitious, yet readily achievable project could well serve as a test case for other lakes and bodies of water in Zimbabwe.

What will the islands look like?

The key point here is that they will not form any sort of comprehensive cover or dome over the entirety of the lake’s surface. While this would maximize the amount of sunlight that could be harvested, it would clearly have a devastating impact on the local ecosystem and the wildlife that relies on the lake for survival.

Island sizes will be carefully calculated to strike the perfect balance between solar flux capture and environmental impact. There will also be multiple islands to ensure that dead spots do not occur in specific regions of the lake due to reduced exposure to natural light. This is essential if we are to take the steps which will ultimately see the water level return to normal.

Will the islands be a permanent feature?

The intention is for the network of solar islands that are currently in the design stage to become a semi-permanent feature. This means that, while they will be intended to last for years at a time before having to be replaced for scheduled maintenance, they could be quickly removed as and when the water level in the lake returns to normal.

Alternatively, others are calling for the solar islands to form one component of a hybrid approach to electricity generation alongside the dam. This would make the site more efficient and prove to be a way to safeguard the local supply against future ebbs and flows in the water level. Exactly what we all want to hear when it’s time to reset the balance and help Mother Nature in any way we can.

Where do we go from here?

The way in which technology evolves when someone decides a problem must have a solution is truly fascinating. When a college kid wanted to allow his peers to check the relationship status of people in their classes, little did the world know that this would become Facebook. And then there’s the case of the young man who started posting DVDs to customers, so they didn’t have to go to Blockbuster video — this became Netflix. People can also play high roller casinos without ever leaving the comfort of their home.

Tech really can change the way we live our lives, and floating solar panel islands may well be the next big shift. As ever, a focus on the ingenuity, creativity, and diversity of the human spirit will allow people from all walks of life to live better lives. Long may these exciting new uses of technology continue to benefit us all.