Floating solar panels (FPV) offer a sustainable alternative to traditional ground-mounted solar systems. FPV systems installed in reservoirs, lakes, and ponds conserve land resources, increase power generation efficiency, and reduce water loss. A study showed that FPV systems covering 30% of 114,555 reservoirs worldwide could generate 9,434 terawatt-hours (TWh) per year. Developing countries have greater potential for FPV development than their current electricity demand. Brazil’s annual electricity demand of 538 TWh can be fully met by FPV development. China is a pioneer in FPV projects, working with other countries to build them. Strict environmental assessment and monitoring are required, and FPV systems should be installed in artificial environments and on degraded land such as mines and sewage treatment plants. Renewable energy projects with a mix of FPV and hydropower should be given priority.
Floating Solar Panels: A Promising Solution for Energy Supply and Water Conservation
A new kind of photovoltaic power station is gaining ground as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional ground-mounted solar systems. Floating solar panels installed in reservoirs, lakes, and ponds conserve land resources, increase power generation efficiency, and reduce water loss.
Led by Chinese environmental scientist Zeng Zhenzhong, researchers from different countries assessed the potential of floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems to contribute to energy supply and water conservation worldwide. Based on a climate-driven photovoltaic system simulation and data from three global reservoir databases, the team estimated that FPV systems covering 30% of 114,555 reservoirs worldwide could generate 9,434 terawatt-hours (TWh) per year.
To put this figure in perspective, the total electricity generation by hydropower worldwide in 2021 was 4,252 TWh, according to the International Hydropower Association. The study also found that the regions with the highest FPV power generation potential are mainly located in parts of the United States, eastern Brazil, Portugal, Spain, northern South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, and eastern China.
Apart from power generation, FPV systems can also help conserve over 100 billion cubic meters of water annually, equivalent to the yearly water consumption of 300 million people. Reduced evaporation is the main reason for this water conservation.
China, which has the second-highest number of reservoirs worldwide, has a potential FPV power generation capacity of 1 TWh per year. However, FPV electricity output levels in central and southern China may not be enough to meet the region’s energy needs. Nonetheless, western China, where solar radiation flux is high, can fully rely on FPV electricity from reservoirs.
In conclusion, floating solar panels can offer a promising solution to energy supply and water conservation. With the growing demand for clean energy and sustainability goals to limit carbon emissions from fossil fuels, the potential of FPV systems can no longer be ignored.
Floating Solar Panels: A Game-Changer for Energy and Water Conservation
Floating solar panels (FPV) have emerged as a sustainable alternative to ground-mounted solar systems. FPV systems installed in reservoirs, lakes, and ponds save land resources, increase power generation efficiency, and reduce water loss. China has been a pioneer in FPV projects, with many being built in recent years, including a project in Huainan, which absorbed heat from solar panels to control algae reproduction in the pond. Another FPV project in Xiangshan, east China’s Zhejiang Province, generates 350 million kilowatts per year.
The potential of FPV systems is immense, with developing countries having greater potential for FPV development than their current electricity demand. The FPV potential in 40 developing countries, including Brazil, Zimbabwe, Laos, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan, is three to ten times higher than their current electricity demand. For example, Brazil’s annual electricity demand of 538 TWh can be fully met by FPV development.
China is also working with other countries to build FPV projects. In December 2022, the largest FPV project jointly built by China and Thailand was connected to Thailand’s grid, with an annual power generation of 95 million kWh. The project in the Sirindhorn Dam generates electricity through solar energy during the day and via hydro power at night, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 47,000 tonnes every year.
While FPV systems can make a significant contribution to energy development and water security, strict environmental assessment and monitoring are required. It is more appropriate to install FPV systems in artificial environments and on degraded land such as mines and sewage treatment plants. Large-scale FPV applications are still in their infancy in most regions of the world, and renewable energy projects with a mix of FPV and hydropower should be given priority, said Zeng, an environmental scientist with Southern University of Science and Technology in China.
In conclusion, the potential of FPV systems for energy and water conservation is enormous, and their development can help developing countries meet their electricity demand. The joint efforts of China and Thailand in the Sirindhorn Dam project provide a template for international cooperation in renewable energy. By adopting a mix of FPV and hydropower, renewable energy projects can generate electricity consistently and sustainably.
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