New House Thermal

On Friday, July 21, 2017 at 4:14:17 PM UTC+3, wrote:
So, when will we see solar powered solar cell factories?

A great question for @elonmusk

On Monday, June 26, 2017 at 4:23:32 AM UTC-4, wrote:
The Treasure Coast Soaring Club will soon have a new house thermal. Florida Power And Light is in the process of building a 400 acre solar power plant within 3/4 mile from our airport. Heat from this type of farm should make for a great house thermal. Anyone out there with experience flying over solar farms? Thanks, Bob

Well, I guess some people don't quiet get it, Yes, there will be a thermal created by the solar farm! Yesterday I flew the Gorilla over the solar array and yes there was a substantial thermal being generated by the array. I guess I can conclude that heat goes up. After testing the panels on top of the hangar I already know the temp difference and once again heat goes up! Maybe it is the poor technique of thermal identification and centering that some of these people are having problems with. Bob

I wonder what contribution to global warming (:-D) these things make...
(Flame suit on.)

On 8/13/2017 5:20 PM, wrote:
On Monday, June 26, 2017 at 4:23:32 AM UTC-4, wrote:
The Treasure Coast Soaring Club will soon have a new house thermal. Florida Power And Light is in the process of building a 400 acre solar power plant within 3/4 mile from our airport. Heat from this type of farm should make for a great house thermal. Anyone out there with experience flying over solar farms? Thanks, Bob
Well, I guess some people don't quiet get it, Yes, there will be a thermal created by the solar farm! Yesterday I flew the Gorilla over the solar array and yes there was a substantial thermal being generated by the array. I guess I can conclude that heat goes up. After testing the panels on top of the hangar I already know the temp difference and once again heat goes up! Maybe it is the poor technique of thermal identification and centering that some of these people are having problems with. Bob

--
Dan, 5J

On Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 11:03:19 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Not necessarily! A solar farm in Texas verses a solar farm in Florida does not compare.

It's not the temperature it reaches so much as the temperature it differentiates from its surrounding area that will trigger a thermal. In Texas, especially Uvalde, the soil is dry and typically very hot. Quite the opposite in Florida, where it's much greener and wet. If that solar farm is surrounded by forest, crops or wetlands, then it would absolutely produce a sufficient thermal.

I think Robert has hit upon a key point when comparing where the reports of limited thermal generation by solar arrays are coming from. As I mentioned earlier, these panels are replacing 400 acres of groves and will be surrounded by crops, fields, and orange groves year-round.

We know there are some key spots south of SLGP to grab a thermal off of the metal roofs of some of the modern, modular schools. I was surprised at how little surface area of metal it took to create a good 4-6kt core when flying as backseat ballast with Dave Nadler at Seniors this year. My gut says we'll be happy with the solar farm's proximity to New Hibiscus Airpark. My vario certainly was happy last week flying over the south end where the first panels were mounted. 399.8 acres to go...

The reports will be in soon enough and the results may very well differ by time of year due to the angle of the sun and the fixed orientation of the panels facing south-southwest. Until proved otherwise, I'm optimistic that it will be a good location for the afternoon launch to get up and out.

Paul A.

On Monday, June 26, 2017 at 4:23:32 AM UTC-4, wrote:
The Treasure Coast Soaring Club will soon have a new house thermal. Florida Power And Light is in the process of building a 400 acre solar power plant within 3/4 mile from our airport. Heat from this type of farm should make for a great house thermal. Anyone out there with experience flying over solar farms? Thanks, Bob

Yesterday, Saturday August 19, the solar farm is rapidly becoming filled with panels. There was a very interesting formation of a big booming cloud directly above the solar farm. I found one of the best thermals of the day being set off by that 400 acres of black panels.