Floating solar is a term you might be hearing more and more frequently, with the idea of ‘floatovoltaics’ rapidly gaining traction in the solar industry. Floating solar PV projects have a number of unique financial and environmental benefits, which we will explore throughout this article. It may be a relatively young approach to solar energy, but floating solar arrays are already operational across the globe in places like China, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, France, and the United Kingdom.
The United States is also home to a number of floating solar arrays, the first of which was installed in Kelseyville County, California, USA. The 252 kilowatt system, made up of 720 panels, sits atop a wastewater treatment pond. Of course, floating solar makes more sense for large-scale installations, and conventional rooftop/ground-mounted projects remain the most viable avenue for residential solar consumers.
What is Floating Solar?
Floating solar, sometimes referred to as ‘floatovoltaics’, is exactly what it sounds like—solar PV projects constructed and installed on a body of water, as opposed to a ground-mounted project on land, or a traditional rooftop installation. These floating solar projects are adapted to sit atop floating platforms on a lake, quarry, or other contained body of water.
Benefits of Floating Solar
The nature of floating solar means that it has certain distinct advantages over land-based solar PV systems. Floating solar is advantageous in both a financial sense and an environmental sense, due to its efficiency and its positive impact on the aquatic environment beneath. At the heart of these benefits are potential cost savings and generation efficiency of floating solar.
- Cooling: Solar panels perform better when they are cooler, meaning that a floating solar array will outperform a land-based solar array of comparable size owing to the cooling effects of its location on the water.
- Shading: The floating platforms used for these PV projects shade the water beneath, reducing evaporation by up to 70%. Over time, this reduced evaporation could save a huge amount of water, while the shading could also limit algae growth beneath the surface.
- Location: Floating solar panels offer an alternative to rooftop/ground-mounted solar installations in areas where space may be extremely limited. Local governments and municipalities in heavily built-up areas can use floating solar as an alternative renewable energy option.
- Infrastructure: Floating solar often requires less in terms of both labor and materials than a land-based project of similar size. Additionally, less maintenance/cleaning may be required as floating panels are generally located away from potential debris sources.
- Space: One big benefit of floating solar is that it doesn’t require the use of valuable land space, which can be costly, and even intrusive, depending on the project in question. Land can be preserved for other uses, such as agricultural processes.
Potential Issues With Floating Solar
Although there are a number of clear advantages associated with floating solar, it’s important to note that the technology is still relatively young, and some have raised concerns about its longevity, along with the impact of floating solar on aquatic wildlife. Additionally, due to the innovative nature of the smart technology used for floating solar, certain specialized equipment may be more costly than its land-based counterparts. Of course, just as we’ve seen a huge decline in the cost of land-based solar over the years, it’s expected that floating solar will follow a similar pattern.
As a number of cities and states have set ambitious climate targets, innovative renewable energy solutions will be necessary to meet these challenges and achieve the goals outlined in legislation like the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Floating solar is just one new avenue of exploration for solar developers, who are likely to further pursue floatovoltaics, given the success of numerous water-based PV projects so far.
Looking for a solar installer? Look no further. YSG Solar will identify the ideal project for your needs—residential, commercial, or community—and guide you through the entire process to ensure maximum utility bill savings and the biggest return on your investment. Send us an email or call at 212.389.9215 to learn more.
YSG Solar is a project development vehicle responsible for commoditizing energy infrastructure projects. We work with long-term owners and operators to provide clean energy assets with stable, predictable cash flows. YSG's market focus is distributed generation and utility-scale projects located within North America.
Sources:
https://www.seaflex.net/applications/solar/
https://www.solar.com/learn/the-benefits-of-floating-solar-panels/
https://pvbuzz.com/benefits-floating-solar-panels/
https://news.energysage.com/floating-solar-what-you-need-to-know/
