by Nicholas Brown.
At the centre of Dubai’s 2020 Expo, a flexible canopy of solar panels will be installed above the crowds to generate electrical energy and to provide shade.
Solar canopies are one of the most sustainable solar applications because the solar panels not only offset fossil fuel energy usage, but the shade they provide helps to reduce heat gain, resulting in reduced air conditioner power usage.
Dubai happens to be a country blessed with mostly clear skies, resulting in high solar insolation, which means that a lot of sunshine falls on solar panels there and with the minimal fluctuations from cloud cover, means there is a reduced need for backup/energy storage during the day. Some 50 percent of the site’s energy will be provided by solar panels located onsite, indicating the dedication to clean energy by the visionary design team.
Like many other structures in Dubai, the 2020 Expo Pavilion will be an elaborate masterpiece. However, with this large solar canopy comes a series of steep engineering and construction challenges. Temperatures in the region can exceed 100 °F (38 °C), and the average summer high is 104 °F (40 °C) and gusty winds, or even sandstorms can suddenly blow through the region. It is truly agonizing for workers to work atop a structure in such heat for extended periods of time, so hopefully the contractors have a plan to cool workers.
The theme of Expo 2020 DUBAI will be Connecting Minds, Creating The Future.
Source: Green Prophet
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