Renewable energy projects in South Africa are being developed at a time of equally urgent focus on the country's water resources; this is a good time for developers to apply low-impact development (LID) options in their stormwater management plans.
Solar farms that generate energy from arrays of photovoltaic panels present a good example of where the LID approach can add value, according to Jennifer Meneghelli, senior civil engineer at SRK Consulting. Often occupying many hectares of rural land, solar panels create a large impervious surface area that channels stormwater in a new way. Rainwater runs off these panels in sheets, falling from a height that can create scouring and erosion of soil, leading to contamination of water.
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