The AccuSolar Deep Dive | May/June 2023

The world is witnessing a remarkable advancement in renewable energy technologies and one innovation making waves is floating solar platforms. As traditional land-based solar installations face space constraints and land-use conflicts, floating solar offers an innovative solution. In this blog post, we will explore the latest news and updates in the floating solar industry, highlighting its potential as a sustainable energy source for the future.

Floating Solar Panels: A Promising Future

According to an article by Smithsonian Magazine, floating solar panels have the potential to revolutionize clean energy production. The study reported that scientists studied the electricity generation potential of "floatovoltaics" on global reservoirs.

They found that covering 30% of 114,555 reservoirs with solar panels, limited to a maximum coverage of 30 square kilometers per reservoir, could produce over 9,000 terawatt hours of energy each year. This is about 2.4 times the U.S. electricity consumption in 2021.

VOA News reports on an up-and-coming floating solar project in Cohoes, New York utilizing a water reservoir. With no extra land for ground mounted solar, floating solar was the perfect solution to provide renewable energy to power all city buildings AND save the city more than $500,000 each year.

Advancements and Research Findings

As reported by AltEnergyMag, floating solar panels are poised to become the future of renewable energy. Research indicates that these panels have the capacity to exceed national targets for solar energy production around the world.

Offshore Energy recently shared findings from a study conducted in Portugal, which found that floating solar could surpass the country's goal of 7 GW of solar energy.

Additionally, the Philippine government has awarded contracts for the world's largest floating solar project, as reported by Offshore Energy, further emphasizing the growing interest and investment in this technology.

Powering Entire Towns

Floating solar panels have the potential to power entire towns, providing sustainable energy solutions. The Weather Channel reported that these panels could soon power entire communities. With their ability to be deployed in water bodies such as reservoirs, lakes and ponds, floating solar installations have the advantage of being located close to population centers, reducing transmission losses and optimizing energy distribution.

Conclusion

Floating solar panels are emerging as a promising solution to the world's energy needs. With their numerous advantages, including increased efficiency, scalability, and the ability to utilize underutilized water bodies, they hold tremendous potential for clean energy production. The recent advancements and research findings highlighted in this blog post demonstrate the growing interest and investment in this technology. As floating solar panels continue to evolve, they may play a crucial role in shaping a sustainable and greener future.

References:

1. Smithsonian Magazine: "Are Floating Solar Panels the Future of Clean Energy Production?" (source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/are-floating-solar-panels-the-future-of-clean-energy-production-180981830/)

2. VOA News: "Floating Solar Panels Becoming Popular" (source: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/floating-solar-panels-becoming-popular/7087141.html)

3. AltEnergyMag: "Floating Solar Panels: The Future of Renewable Energy" (source: https://www.altenergymag.com/article/2023/05/floating-solar-panels-the-future-of-renewable-energy/39467)

4. The Weather Channel: "Floating Solar Panels Could Soon Power Entire Towns" (source: https://weather.com/news/climate/video/floating-solar-panels-could-soon-power-entire-towns)

5. Offshore Energy: "Floating Solar in Portugal Could Exceed National Target for Solar Energy of 7GW, New Research Finds" (source: https://www.offshore-energy.biz/floating-solar-in-portugal-could-exceed-national-target-for-solar-energy-of-7gw-new-research-finds/)

6. Offshore Energy: "Philippine Government Awards Contracts for World's Largest Floating Solar Project" (source: https://www.offshore-energy.biz/philippine-government-awards-contracts-for-worlds-largest-floating-solar-project/)