27
Unpopular opinion: solar panels in the desert are a net negative
I used to think any renewable energy was good, full stop. Then I read a study from a Nevada biologist who said the Mojave Tortoise population dropped 40% near a solar farm outside Las Vegas. The heat island effect and habitat loss from those massive installations might outweigh the carbon savings. Am I wrong to be skeptical of giant solar farms now? Has anyone else dug into the trade-offs?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
ellis.faith1mo ago
Made me think twice too, and I'm usually the guy who can't even keep a cactus alive in my own backyard. Feels like we're solving one problem and accidentally frying the next thing over.
8
victorh811mo ago
Saw a similar report from a friend who works on solar panel maintenance in Arizona. He said the ground temps under those panels can get 10-15 degrees hotter than the surrounding desert floor, and that basically cooks anything trying to live there. The tortoises can't burrow deep enough fast enough when the heat kicks up like that. It's wild how something meant to save the planet can mess up the local ecosystem so bad lol.
1
ivanscott1mo ago
Yeah that temp difference is actually the opposite, panels keep the ground cooler since they block the sun.
1