[dreamer_soul]

I work at KOC (Kuwait Oil Company) which is like one of the biggest producers of oil second to Saudi aramco in the region! Recently the whole oil sector in Kuwait is pushing an strategy where most of the electricity consumed by all the oil companies in the country is going to come from solar. But the cynic in me thinks that it has more to do with cost and adhering to worldwide standards than environmental reasons

Please note that this is personal opinion

[johnny99]

The solar resources in Kuwait are exceptional--this may be more about pragmatic cost optimization than anything else. With the falling cost of solar, if they can save the oil that would otherwise be used for operations and then sell it, I imagine they come out ahead.

The irony is that the same forces creating this profit opportunity for them will eventually lead their customers to seek new energy sources as well, and shrink their market.

[SlowRobotAhead]

Right. Their margins on oil are far better than most anyone down the supply chain. If people couldn't get enough of my banana art, I'd stop eating them as a snack and go for an apple instead.

Full disclosure, I don't like bananas, and no one is buying my banana art.

[austincheney]

I have noticed it does not take long for solar panels in Kuwait to be coated in layers of dust. Does this reduce efficiency by any measurable amount?

[D_Alex]

Yes, the loss is quite significant, and of course dependent on how much dust has accumulated. The effect is worse in countries near the equator, as the panels are installed with a lesser tilt. 70% losses have been reported in some studies.

See eg; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S136403211...

[philipkglass]

Yes, the effect is significant. But there are robots specifically designed for frequent, water-free cleanings in dusty regions:

https://www.ecoppia.com/