New technology prevents evaporation and generates energy

The Foil is covering the reservoir. Artist impression: Contitech

Due to climate change preventing evaporation is gaining importance. Recently California turned to millions of plastic balls. New technology is now combining two functions; saving water and generating energy. A vinyl cover for water reservoirs containing solar cells is especially interesting for remote areas where the energy can be used to operate water pumps.

The new technology is named Dynactiv Power developed by Benecke-Kaliko and Contitech Engineering and was tested in Israel. A 1.200 square meter prototype ran for three years delivering a peak output of 8.5 kilowatt. The expected lifetime of the cover is about 20 years. The investment can be earned back by saved water and energy production and depends on the size of the reservoir and the installed capacity. According to a press officer the average earn-back time is estimated at 14 years.

Safety
The new material is especially interesting for big water companies. The system is simply laid out on-site in 25-metre long, 1.7-metre wide sheets, which are then connected to each other. The tear-resistant sheeting is robust enough to carry the weight of a person or vehicle, making maintenance work easy to carry out.