[TaylorAlexander]

In some areas, the water use just from cleaning solar panels becomes a serious issue (let alone using more water to cool them). It's not much water to spray on some panels you are experimenting with, but for a large installation it seems like it would be a lot of water.

[gregoriol]

The best areas for solar are hot, those are also likely to be the areas where water supply is the most constrained, so this is definitely a no-go solution

[Pigalowda]

This is in Texas which is hot but there’s water.

Additionally power stations use steam turbines which require a lot of water. Some cooling water for misters would probably be a rounding error.

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50698

https://www.seia.org/initiatives/water-use-management

[pooper]

Sorry if this is too basic of a question but for places close enough to the sea, would sea water for cooling and cleaning be an option? Too much salt residue?

[2ICofafireteam]

Now I'm waiting for the seaside solar power plant/salt works proposal to pop up!

Seriously: Maybe residue wouldn't be an issue if it was never allowed to dry, but the corrosion-proof construction, drainage system, and pumping costs would be considerable. Then there's the 100 problems we're not aware of yet...

[nkmnz]

salt crusts are highly reflective, driving down light exposure pretty fast. Plus, salt water is corrosive.

[danuker]

> salt crusts are highly reflective

I think this will not be a problem, as the salt would be continuously washed away with new water. But the corrosion would be a problem indeed.

Maybe some plastic/epoxy/glass casing would help, but it might also hinder recyclability.

[pkphilip]

See my comment above. This water is being used to grow agricultural crops under the panels in Kochi airport in India.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2021/dec/13/c...