Solar power is an abundant source of sustainable energy if harnessed properly. A recent installation in a reservoir has residents and experts discussing potential harm weighed against the obvious benefits.

Roughly 11.5 hectares of solar panels were recently installed at Tainan's Wushantou Reservoir. However, during the latest cleaning operation, residents of the area expressed concerns over potential ecological damage and water contamination.

One man says he is worried about pollution making the water unhealthy for use. Tainan Community University researcher Huang Ju-kuang (晃瑞光) asks what disaster response plans are in place, emphasizing that the primary and secondary relationships of reservoirs must be understood before installing anything.

As for cleaning, the Agriculture Ministry’s Irrigation Agency Chianan Management Planning Office Director Tsai Tsung-hsun (蔡宗勳) says that their contract clearly stipulates only clean water can be used. He also assures that water quality inspections are conducted five times a year, the reports of which are given to the local district office and the city government for record.

According to the agency, the photovoltaic panels cover only 1.12% of the reservoir, and the project is estimated to generate 17 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. They said installing solar panels in reservoirs is not unique to Taiwan; the Netherlands, the United States, Spain, South Korea, and Singapore have also been successful with this practice.

In addition to Wushantou Reservoir, photovoltaic facilities are also planned for Zengwen Reservoir, approximately 36 kilometers away.

Gaining social consensus on energy policy is not easy, but with the potentially devastating effects of climate change looming, every community must work together to support sustainable development.