El Paso Climate May Be Perfect For Solar Power – Alamogordo Is Better

A recent study from Alamogordo shows that the climate about 75 miles north of El Paso is perfect for solar power. Yes, we all know it's super sunny around here but that's not it.

It's not the fact that the southwest is mega - sunny, (El Paso is, after all, known as the Sun City and Alamogordo is just about as sunny), it's the dust that makes Alamo so cool, sun - wise. El Paso is a major dust factory too but Alamo dust is special.

A recently released UTEP study, done by UTEP doctoral graduate German Rodriguez Ortiz, shows that Alamogordo is not only perfect for solar power because of the obvious but that the dust up there helps too.

Alamogordo Dust Is Different Than Regular Dust

Yes, you read that right and you're probably wondering -  Dubba G, WTF is the difference between their dust and our dust? The answer is - what it's made of. I already did the geek work for you so, keep reading.

Just like Alamo's legendary white sand, their dust is made of gypsum. Gypsum, says UTEP, (according to KVIA), absorbs less light so its interference with the panels is much less than other parts of the world. They also, apparently, don't need to be cleaned as often which also saves water, labor, etc.

The dust from other deserts around the world, (the UTEP report uses Iran and China as examples), can drop solar panel power output by anywhere from 10% - 80%. In Alamogordo, that power dip was only 2% - 3%.

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White Sands certainly seems capable of helping panels collect more energy by reflecting it alone. If you ever look directly at those dunes, (don't), on a sunny, summer day, they'll practically blind you.

You probably never really thought about any of this, nor do you (probably) care, but now you know and knowledge is, (pun intended), power.

You're welcome.