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Environmental impact and assessment for floating solar systems on wine farms in the Western Cape Wine Region

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FC Prinsloo at University of Nevada, Reno
FC Prinsloo
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Prinsloo, F.C. 2017. Environmental impact and assessment for floating solar systems on wine farms in the Western Cape Wine Region. Honors Degree Dissertation, University of South Africa, South Africa, p1-75 . (see also https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4183296). Environmental awareness and market forces are increasing pressure on wineries in the Cape Winelands region to adopt environmentally friendly and sustainable production practices. In terms of green energy and carbon footprint reduction, international development funding is available for projects that involve the innovative use of floating photovoltaic technology (FSPV or FPV or floatovoltaics) in the Western Cape region. Removing historical vineyards to set up solar energy units on vineyard land is however not sustainable. This is one reason why space-saving, floating solar technology is lately attracting the attention of wine farmers in the Cape Winelands region. These renewable energy generation systems harvest power from sunlight while floating on vineyard irrigation ponds, thus preserving valuable fertile vineyard land. Since the environmental impact of water-based floating photovoltaic solar systems differs from land-based photovoltaic systems, new environmental impact assessment models need to be developed to assist environmental impact practitioners and project owners with environmental approvals. In this study, the focus is on developing a method and means to study the environmental impact benefits of floating solar PV systems on wineries in the Western Cape. Since environmental impact assessment studies require investigation in compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation and regulations, this research focus on the development and application of a computer-based model with a supporting research questionnaire in a methodology that assists with environmental and sustainability analyses for floating solar in wineries. This parametric model experiments with water, energy, land and food (WELF) nexus variables as a means to study sustainability scenarios in terms of food production, land-, energy- and water-resource interactions. Scenario-based experimental results demonstrate the application of the proposed model and methodology through illustrations, graphs and tables that quantify the determining environmental impact effects in terms of WELF nexus parameters and greenhouse gas emissions associated with Eskom grid substitution at three wine farms in the Cape Winelands region. Keywords: WELF nexus, environmental impact assessment, floating solar systems, floatovoltaics, Eskom grid substitution, carbon footprint reduction, solar wineries, Western Cape wine farms.
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... Remarkably, this cutting-edge floatovoltaic technology prototype system has reduced the Boplaas wine farm's carbon footprint by 50% during the first year of installation (Pritchard et al., 2019) to impact the local environmental conservation efforts positively. In addition, the technology saves fertile agricultural land that will be used more profitably as a co-benefit for fruit and wine production (Prinsloo, 2017b(Prinsloo, , 2019. Further to the South African agricultural sector, floatovoltaic technologies are also drawing increasing worldwide attention as a novel type of agri-photovoltaic or agro-renewable clean energy class (Allen and Prinsloo, 2018;Pringle et al., 2017;Prinsloo et al., 2021). ...
... From a local South African context perspective, virtually no other geographical studies have quantified the environmental and economic co-benefits of FPV technology in South African conditions (Prinsloo, 2020). Furthermore, there are limited capacity and research funds dedicated to geoinformatics tools to support the EIA processes for floating solar technology, apart from the related studies that led to the introduction of this research project (Prinsloo, 2017b(Prinsloo, , 2019. In contrast, this study focuses on developing a new philosophical framework as a computer simulation logic to improve FPV technology's regulatory readiness. ...
... While the PVlibrary algorithm does not as yet make provision for floating solar system modelling, this thesis can provisionally condition the PVlib inputs for floatovoltaic applications with simplified yield workarounds. This work started in the GIS-based performance-profiling tool for floating solar developed by the author of this thesis in earlier floating solar research (Prinsloo, 2017b(Prinsloo, , 2019, and potentially in Profloating's online Flotar calculator for floatovoltaic performance analysis on demand (Profloating, 2021). ...
A geo-informatics approach to sustainability assessments of floatovoltaic (floating photovoltaic) technology
Thesis
Full-text available
  • May 2023
Floating Solar PV (FSPV, FPV or floatovoltaics) is an emerging decentralised energy concept in climate-smart agriculture that is quickly becoming a trend in water-rich regions with high land costs, land scarcity and underutilised water areas. FPV technology has excellent environmental compatibility properties, assists in shrinking a farm's carbon footprint, aids farms in decarbonisation towards a net-zero emissions goal, while supporting sustainable energy development towards better carbon taxation and green energy certification in sustainable farming ventures. Amidst a rapidly growing international interest in floating PV and agrivoltaic solutions as climate-solver technologies, current knowledge gaps around its environmental and energy-water-land resource impact uncertainties are the main barriers to floatovoltaic installation deployments. Current FPV performance and impact assessment methodologies still need to overcome critical knowledge gaps constraining fully functional evidence-based scientific assessments as a mandatory requirement to regulatory project permissions prescribed by law. This doctoral dissertation investigates the characterisation and quantification of floating photovoltaic power performance benefits, environmental impact offsets and economic sustainability profiles in a theoretical PV performance model-driven water-energy-land-food resource features. With FPV as natural resource preservation energy technology touching issues along the interplaying water-energy-land-food nexus dimensions (WELF-nexus), a robust validation of the technology's co-benefits and suggested impacts on the nexus of local energy-water-food (EWF) system was lacking. Rethinking environmental sustainability in the FPV context, this research investigation uncovers the root cause of current predictive analytical problems in floating PV characterisation as relating to critical knowledge gaps and modelling challenges in four dimensions: (a) reductionist thinking philosophy as an overwhelming modelling approach engaged by most current PV system assessment models; (b) low-priority role of the natural environmental system and micro-habitat in the integrated systems modelling characterisation of floating PV as a system of systems; (c) inadequate modelling consideration given the water-energy-land nexus system resources and linkages in a unidirectional open-loop linear assessment framework; and (d) modelling framework does not sufficiently cater for systemic interactions in the topological and ontological structures among the PV ecosystem components. Aiming to find a holistic systems thinking solution, the fourth industrial revolution offers information technology principles that enable subject-matter expert knowledge integration into the virtualization of intelligent energy production models using digital twin technology. As operational research paradigms for floating PV modelling, 4IR in digital twinning enables the study to define a new integrated theoretical framework for sustainability evaluation. Towards simulation analysis, this pluralistic-type systemic intervention can account for the extended range of resource-use-efficiencies and impact-effect-positives of floating PV technology in a computer-aided analysis-by-synthesis technique. While comparing the performances of FPV and GPV systems, this study makes a case for the systematisation of sustainability knowledge in the technogenic assessment for floating PV installations through the co-simulation modelling of a novel integrated technical energy-environmental-economic scientific sustainability assessment framework concept. This institutionalised sustainability framework mechanism drives the computer program logic and architecture in a computer synthesis methodology, to assess the integrative technological, economic and natural environmental system attributes in a pluralistic system dynamical way. The approach is further novel in that it covers both short-term and long-term perspectives in a cascaded closed-loop feedback system, with inter-domain feedback memory in a real-time computer synthesis methodology ensuring causal framework ontology modelling. The proposed sustainability definition and systemic framework policy for geospatial sustainability assessment offer a complex appraisal method and modelling technique that supports project decision-making in broad-spectrum environmental, economic and technical contexts that transcends the conventional technically biased scientific evaluation inherited from ground-mounted photovoltaics. The proposed theoretical reference framework and modelling technique offer multidimensional sustainability indicator dimensions, thus addressing critical decision-making domain elements focussed on by impact assessment practitioners, investment stakeholders and subject experts. The scientific investigation and results confer valuable insights into the value-laden sustainability qualities of FPV in pre-qualifying project-assessment experiments for future planned floating solar projects. The theoretical modelling, simulation and characterisation of floatovoltaic technology offer a data collection toolset for duly required scientific evidence of sustainability traits of the technology in support of the adoption, regularisation and licensing of floating photovoltaic renewable energy system installations. The research advances fresh philosophical ideas with novel theoretical principles that may have far-reaching international implications for developing floatovoltaic, agrivoltaic and ground-mounted PV performance models worldwide. ~ https://hdl.handle.net/10500/30091
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... It happens because the potential reduction in the carbon footprint for a planned floating solar system of any configuration must be determined scientifically for incorporation into the environmental impact assessment plans (also in the facility's long-term agricultural management plan). Incorporating such scientific evidence in a project's environmental impact assessment plans is further motivation for project viability and emphasises the addition of value offered by the project through future business branding opportunities (Akorede et al., 2010;Prinsloo, 2017a). ...
... New GIS planning tools and support mechanisms, therefore, need to be conceptualised and developed to overcome challenges associated with due-diligence analyses and environmental impact approvals and to assist in effectively avoiding or minimising the anticipated negative environmental impacts resulting from the application of renewable energy sources (ESRI, 2010). Since environmental scores for solar energy projects have to be determined accurately during the planning phases of a project, environmental impact assessments metrics should best be computed empirically through computer modelling and simulation projections before the project enters the environmental approval phases (Prinsloo, 2017a;Royal Haskoning DHV, 2015). ...
... To this end, the present study builds on the international body of knowledge concerned with solar energy system analyses (da Silva and Branco, 2018;Hernandez et al., 2014;Patton et al., 2013) to design and develop novel digital analytical services for floating solar systems in local agricultural applications (Prinsloo and Lombard, 2015c;Prinsloo, 2017a). The specific aim of the applied research study is to develop a flexible GIS toolset for the digital characterisation of energy yields and environmental profiles associated with planned floating solar systems around South Africa (Prinsloo, 2017b). ...
Development of a GIS-Based Decision Support Tool for Environmental Impact Assessment and Due-Diligence Analyses of Planned Agricultural Floating Solar Systems
Thesis
Full-text available
  • Aug 2019
In recent years, there have been tremendous advances in information technology, robotics, communication technology, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence, resulting in the merging of physical, digital, and biological worlds that have come to be known as fourth industrial revolution (4IR). In this context, the present study engages such technology in the green economy and to tackle the techno-economic environmental impact assessments challenges associated with floating solar photovoltaic system applications (FSPV or FPV) in the agricultural sector of South Africa. In response, this exploratory study aimed to examine the development of a Geographical Information System (GIS)-based support platform for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and due-diligence analyses for future planned agricultural floating solar systems, especially with the goal to address the vast differences between the environmental impacts for land-based and water-based photovoltaic energy systems. A research gap was identified in the planning processes for implementing floating solar systems in South Africa's agricultural sector. This inspired the development of a novel floating solar scenario analysis tool. The WebGIS-based modelling tool aims to use data science, decision science and geoinformatics to assist with floating solar system type energy infrastructure planning in the renewable energy discourse. In this context, there are significant challenges and future research avenues for technical and environmental performance modelling in the new sustainable energy transformation. The present dissertation and geographical research ventured into the conceptualisation, designing and development of a software GIS-based decision support tool for energy system performance characterisation, environmental scoping, environmental offset analysis and environmental profiling on digital electronic scorecards. It assists environmental impact practitioners, project owners and landscape architects to perform environmental scoping and environmental due-diligence analysis for planned floating solar systems in the local agricultural sector. In terms of the aims and objectives of the research, this project aims at the design and development of a dedicated GIS toolset to determine the environmental feasibility around the use of floating solar systems in agricultural applications in South Africa. In this context, the research objectives of this study included the use of computational modelling and simulation techniques to theoretically determine the energy yield predictions and computing environmental impacts/offsets for future planned agricultural floating solar systems in South Africa. The toolset succeeded in determining these aspects in applications where floating solar systems would substitute Eskom grid power. The study succeeded in developing a digital GIS-based computer simulation model for floating solar systems capable of (a) predicting the anticipated energy yield, (b) calculating the environmental offsets achieved by substituting coal-fired generation by floating solar panels, (c) determining the environmental impact and land-use preservation benefits of any floating solar system, and (d) relating these metrics to water-energy-land-food (WELF) nexus parameters suitable for user project viability analysis and decision support. The research project has demonstrated how the proposed GIS toolset supports the body of geographical knowledge in the fields of Energy and Environmental Geography. The new toolset, called EIAcloudGIS, was developed to assist in solving challenges around energy and environmental sustainability analysis when planning new floating solar installations on farms in South Africa. Experiments conducted during the research showed how the geographical study in general, and the toolset in particular, succeeded in solving a real-world problem. Through the formulation and development of GIS-based computer simulation models embedded into GIS layers, this new tool practically supports the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA Act No. 107 of 1998), and in particular, associated EIA processes. The tool also simplifies and semi-automates certain aspects of environmental impact analysis processes for newly envisioned and planned floating solar installations in South Africa. KEY TERMS: Data Science; Knowledge economy; Energy Geography; Environmental Geography; Sustainable development; Floating solar systems; Solar energy technology; Design thinking; Decision support system; Geographic information systems; Virtual reality landscape; Environmental impact assessment; Environmental offsets; Due-diligence analysis; Fourth Industrial Revolution; Renewable Agriculture; Agricultural systems; Precision farming; Digital technology; Innovation system research; South African Carbon Tax Act. Download follow-on PhD dissertation on: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355926139_A_geo-informatics_approach_to_sustainability_assessments_of_floatovoltaic_floating_photovoltaic_technology_in_South_African_agricultural_applications Also see PhD paper on: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353718769_Sustainability_Assessment_Framework_and_Methodology_with_Trans-disciplinary_Numerical_Simulation_Model_for_Analytical_Floatovoltaic_Energy_System_Planning_Assessments
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... It happens because the potential reduction in the carbon footprint for a planned floating solar system of any configuration must be determined scientifically for incorporation into the environmental impact assessment plans (also in the facility's long-term agricultural management plan). Incorporating such scientific evidence in a project's environmental impact assessment plans is further motivation for project viability and emphasises the addition of value offered by the project through future business branding opportunities (Akorede et al., 2010;Prinsloo, 2017a). ...
... New GIS planning tools and support mechanisms, therefore, need to be conceptualised and developed to overcome challenges associated with due-diligence analyses and environmental impact approvals and to assist in effectively avoiding or minimising the anticipated negative environmental impacts resulting from the application of renewable energy sources (ESRI, 2010). Since environmental scores for solar energy projects have to be determined accurately during the planning phases of a project, environmental impact assessments metrics should best be computed empirically through computer modelling and simulation projections before the project enters the environmental approval phases (Prinsloo, 2017a;Royal Haskoning DHV, 2015). ...
... To this end, the present study builds on the international body of knowledge concerned with solar energy system analyses (da Silva and Branco, 2018;Hernandez et al., 2014;Patton et al., 2013) to design and develop novel digital analytical services for floating solar systems in local agricultural applications (Prinsloo and Lombard, 2015c;Prinsloo, 2017a). The specific aim of the applied research study is to develop a flexible GIS toolset for the digital characterisation of energy yields and environmental profiles associated with planned floating solar systems around South Africa (Prinsloo, 2017b). ...
Development of a GIS-based decision support tool for environmental impact analyses in future planned agricultural floating solar systems
Research Proposal
Full-text available
  • Oct 2017
International market forces are placing increasing pressure on the agricultural sector of South Africa to adopt environmentally friendly and sustainable food and wine production practices. Such environmental awareness issues further inspire local food and wine producers to be concerned about the carbon footprint implications and carbon dioxide emissions associated with the widespread use and consumption dependence on the national coal-based power supply. To this end, the agricultural sector is working towards the development and integration of renewable energy technology solutions at their facilities. Within this context, the principles of integrated project delivery and integrated farming infrastructure creates the need for new geographical and geomatic tools to help farmers and environmentalists understand the potential future environmental issues associated with renewable energy sources and technologies. Supporting geographical and GIS tools should ideally be developed to take advantage of the theoretical foundations offered by the fields of energy geography and environmental geography. Such a GIS tool will be developed for floating solar photovoltaic technology (FSPV or FPV or floatovoltaics), to help agricultural industries study the technical performances and geographical implications of renewable energy transitions.
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... This means that predictive environmental analysis and analytic measures must be used to forecast the anticipated energy outputs and environmental impacts foreseen with the planned system. Theoretical techniques for accomplishing this is land-based solar power systems have been well established (Royal Haskoning DHV, 2015), but these techniques are inadequate to appreciate the full spectrum of environmental benefits (Prinsloo, 2017). ...
... We further conducted our own research to develop computer models for empirical research. The thesis associated with this publication (Prinsloo, 2017) provides a detailed literature study. The research design of this study thus used computer-assisted modelling theories for building system dynamics into model blocks. ...
... The model and process for the first computer simulation cycle, the energy simulation model employs questionnaire collected site data (GPS location, square meter water space, energy conversion equipment, etc.). This data is required to compute the anticipated energy outputs for each floating solar system (Prinsloo, 2017). The location sensitive Meteonorm datasets are used in the next step of the method by the model to forecast the solar irradiation, weather patterns and climatic conditions for each of the three wine farm sites (Meteonorm, 2016). ...
Development of a custom designed GIS-based environmental decision support tool to address water energy nexus issues in floating solar environmental impact assessment
Conference Paper
Full-text available
  • Aug 2017
Prinsloo, F.C. and Prinsloo, G.J. 2017. Development of a custom designed GIS-based environmental decision support tool to address water energy nexus issues in floating solar environmental impact assessment. International Association of Impac Assesment SA, IAIAsa 2017, Goudini SPA, Cape Town, August 2017. Water-based floating solar technology installations offer remarkable environmental impact characteristics that differ significantly from those offered by land-based solar systems. This is mainly due to direct and indirect interactions with the underlying aquatic environment that affects solar energy production levels while offering added benefits in terms of water evaporation and water quality improvements. It further links with the Water Energy Food (EWF) nexus. In such complex environments, computer-based geo-informatic environmental management systems can provide modern geographical tools to study the environmental impact of renewable energy systems. With the aim of supporting the integrated environmental management (IEM) process and environmental assessment practitioners (EAPs), the present research is progressing towards the development and integration of a novel GIS object that supports the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process. This study therefore focusses on the development of a GIS-based method and means to forecast the energy outputs and environmental impacts of floating solar systems in grid substitution applications in a location sensitive manner. The GIS object model includes spatial context awareness capabilities to determine the energy outputs of floating solar systems while quantifying the environmental impact effects for grid energy substitution in terms of EWF nexus parameters. Scenario based experimental results demonstrate the application of the proposed GIS-based energy and environmental object model at a wine farm in the Cape Winelands region of South Africa.
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... Another study on the state of Ceara in Brazil concluded that as high as 18.8% of the electrical needs of the state of 8.8 million inhabitants can be met by installation of cooled floating solar panels, which were also found to yield 12.5% more than their ground-mounted counterparts [22]. The floating PV applications are attracting the attention of countries all over the world, from Bangladesh to Australia to South Africa [23][24][25][26]. ...
Floating PV; an assessment of water quality and evaporation reduction in semi-arid regions
Article
Full-text available
  • Sep 2021
This work addresses the potential impact on water quality and quantifies the benefit of the low carbon power source of floating solar panels in evaporation reduction when using them on an open water body, such as an agricultural irrigation pond in semi-arid regions. By utilizing agricultural ponds for low carbon energy conversion, and saving precious water through evaporation reduction, the highly vulnerable agricultural sector will be empowered. A pilot size setup is prepared, key water quality parameters were monitored and evaporation quantities in a PV-covered pond are compared to those from an adjacent open water pond used as a control. Several inclination angles for the panels were tested. Results showed no adverse impact on the water quality; on the contrary, there is evidence of improvement particularly in nitrate and chlorophyll concentrations. Moreover, a reduction of ∼60% in evaporation was observed; power generation from the floating panels, on the other hand, was statistically similar to that from ground-mounted panels.
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Energy Geography
Chapter
  • Feb 2004
A short review of research in energy geography thru 2003.
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A Companion to Environmental Geography
Book
  • Mar 2009
A Companion to Environmental Geography is the first book to comprehensively and systematically map the research frontier of 'human-environment geography' in an accessible and comprehensive way. Cross-cuts several areas of a discipline which has traditionally been seen as divided; presenting work by human and physical geographers in the same volume. Presents both the current 'state of the art' research and charts future possibilities for the discipline. Extends the term 'environmental geography' beyond its 'traditional' meanings to include new work on nature and environment by human and physical geographers - not just hazards, resources, and conservation geographers. Contains essays from an outstanding group of international contributors from among established scholars and rising stars in geography.
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Environmental Modelling: Finding Simplicity in Complexity
Article
  • Sep 2015
Environmental science needs to better link to real-world policy application and simulation-based policy-support systems (PSS) are an appropriate way to do so. Policy-support systems (PSS) are an extension of the ubiquitous and highly variable decision-support systems (DSS). These support systems are targeted at making sophisticated descriptions of process, state and change accessible in a dynamic way to support decision-making, or the testing and design of policies. Recent years have seen considerable growth in research at the water-energy-environment-food (WEEF) nexus and there is much interest in scientific policy support for this from the international development, conservation and governmental policy communities. This demand is focused particularly in the areas of water, biofuels and food, water management for urban supply and hydropower and maintaining ecosystem services. WaterWorld is a spatial policy-support system focused on the hydrological baseline of an area and the impact of land use, land management, and climate change.
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A Study on Power Generation Analysis of Floating PV System Considering Environmental Impact
Article
  • Jan 2014
The floating photovoltaic system is a new concept in energy technology to meet the needs of our time. The system integrates existing land based photovoltaic technology with a newly developed floating photovoltaic technology. Because module temperature of floating PV system is lower than that of overland PV system, the floating PV system has 11% better generation efficiency than overland PV system. In the thesis, superiority of floating PV system is verified through comparison analysis of generation amount by 2.4kW, 100kW and 500kW floating PV system installed by K-water and the cause of such superiority was analyzed. Also, effect of wind speed, and waves on floating PV system structure was measured to analyze the effect of the environment on floating PV system generation efficiency.
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