For physical trough, power tower, and linear Fresnel systems, SAM reports the total annual water consumption in cubic meters for cooling and mirror washing.

Annual Water Usage

Annual Water Usage (m³) = Cooling Water Usage (m³) + Mirror Washing Water Usage (m³)

The mirror washing water usage is based on the mirror washing parameters you specify on the Solar Field or Heliostat Field page:

Mirror Washing Usage = Water Usage per Wash (L/m², aperture) × Total Aperture or Reflective Area (m²) × Washes per Year (1/year)

SAM reports the annual mirror washing usage as a Single Values variable in Tables and Graphs. It also reports the cooling water flow rate in Tables as an hourly variable ("water makeup flow rate" or "water consumption mass flow rate").