Floating photovoltaics, a smart technology!

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Let’s meet the floating photovoltaics!

Written by Giannis Taousanidis, electrical engineer at Wattcrop

Solar photovoltaic power is an essential pillar in the efforts to addressing climate change. PVs are widely used, due to their easy installation and low maintenance. Over the years, we have seen a vast amount of PVs installed on rooftops or on the ground, when it comes to larger scale production. 

But this does not have to be the case. It is feasible, nowadays, to install PVs on the surface of water reservoirs, lakes and even seas and oceans under the right conditions. The solar panels are mounted on platforms floating on the water surface. 

  • Land Intensive? Not anymore 

 There is an ongoing conversation on whether the installation of a PV park is the best land use or if it should be used for another purpose. By installing PVs on the water surface, the land can be used for other purposes, such as farming, infrastructures etc. 

  • Higher Productivity 

 We all know that the water is generally cooler than the ground or air and its flow is often used to cool things faster. In this case the cooling effect of the water is used to enhance our PV production, as solar panels tend to have more losses in higher temperatures. 

Also, water bodies are generally more “open-air” than land areas, so we can avoid a lot of shadings in a floating solar park. 

It has been calculated that floating solar parks produce 10-15% more annually. 

Especially when combined with hydro plants the advantages can be multiplied. A hydro plant with pump storage along with a floating solar system can provide clean, cheap electricity 24/7. 

  • Healthier Environment 

 The installation of floating solar panels on the surface of a large water body reduces evaporation, something that may be vital in areas susceptible to droughts. 

Also, it reduces phenomena as algae blooms, which can be extremely unsanitary in drinking water sources, and cause disruption of the water ecosystem. 

  •  Difficulties

However, not everything in the garden is rosy. As someone can easily imagine the installation of floating solar is more expensive than the ground or rooftop mounting. The floating rafts where the solar panels are mounted are usually more expensive than the ground-mounting systems. 

Also, the design of a floating solar park is more difficult than of a ground one, because more parameters have to be taken into account, such as the variation of the surface heights through the year, the insulation of every electrical part etc. 

 The rafts where the solar panels are mounted have moving parts, so the maintenance needs to be more frequent than the one in a land solar park and sometimes also more expensive. 

On the other hand, nowadays the rafts are created by HDPE, which is fully recyclable. Also, it can be produced of entirely recycled materials. 

 A new, challenging but promising future lies ahead of us. Thus, it is our obligation to develop responsibly, having everyone’s best interests at heart.

Develop green, develop responsibly, get the maximum return on your investment.