A recent Ember report explained how Europe had eliminated coal as an energy source in 2024 and gave way to renewable energies, such as solar. In fact, in the same analysis, Spain registered a continuous increase in photovoltaic generation, reaching 21% of its electricity almost double that the European average (11%). So far everything is fine, but this boom of the solar is carrying that alternatives for the installation of panels in other surfaces, such as aquatic.
International investigation. A study group, led by Carlos D. Rodríguez-Gallegos, has evaluated The state and potential of floating photovoltaic facilities (FPV) worldwide. For this analysis they have used the largest global database that collects the information of 1,142 commercial FPV systems from 2022. In addition, they took the geographical references of reservoirs, which cover a total area of more than 2.2 million square kilometers.
The object of study is to analyze its implementation and performance, in addition to studying advanced configurations such as bifacial panels, inclination angles and monitoring systems.
The investigation had contributions from researchers from the You will be Singapore and from the National University of Singapore (NUS), as well as the Polytechnic Higher School of the Litoral de Ecuador, the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, the Concordia University of Canada and the University ofokin of Australia.
Asia, the leader. Almost 90% of the installed floating solar capacity is in the Asian continent and China leads it with almost half of the accumulated capacity. This world predominance is due to favorable, ambitious objectives focused on renewable energy and regulations designed to support the expansion of FPV.
Although Asia leads the development of floating solar panels, Africa is also exploring this technology. Zimbabwe advance with a 250 MW plant In the Kariba dam, projecting to reach 1 GW. In Ghana, A 5 MW system In a reservoir it will be expanded to 15 MW, while Cape City, in South Africa, has completed several smaller projects. With abundant sun and limited water resources, Africa seeks to meet your energy needs through these initiatives.
Take advantage of water areas. The installation of photovoltaic systems on aquatic surfaces has presented different benefits, according to the study. First, optimization of limited space in areas with scarcity of earth. In addition, FPVs help reduce the evaporation of water in reservoirs and to maintain the temperatures of the lowest solar panels, improving their efficiency. On the other hand, this technology avoids related conflicts about land use. To give an example, in the Swiss Alps, They have demonstrated that these facilities can prosper even in adverse conditions, reaching higher performance regardless of altitude.
The study results. From the analysis that the average size of the FPV has increased in the last ten years of 0.09 MW in 2013 to 1.40 MW in 2022, and, in parallel, the average power density has gone from 82 W/m² at 123 w/m². Researchers have identified optimal configurations to maximize electrical performance, such as the use of solar monitoring systems and bifacial panels, which capture the reflected light, thus improving energy generation.
In economic terms, FPVs have proven competitive. For example, the project director has signed up for an Indian initiative that achieved a cost of installation of just $ 0.41 per watt, which reinforces the economic viability of this technology against other renewable energy options. However, these facilities also face certain challenges such as the initial cost can be very high by infrastructure. In addition, technology adaptability to different bodies of water (sweet or salty) and logistics complexities can also increase costs.
Looking at the high seas. Looking ahead, the research team plans to explore FPV applications on the high seas, investigating its energy potential, innovative designs and the challenges that costs and maintenance present. According to its estimates, covering only 10% of the surface of 249,717 continental reservoirs could generate a capacity of up to 22 TW, sufficient to satisfy all world consumption of electricity and up to 5% of the global water demand.
Image | Chn Energy