December 1, 2024 Solar power is the world’s fastest-growing energy source. It’s estimated that 2024 will be solar’s biggest year ever, with an estimated 593 GW of new installations worldwide.
In the United States, solar is booming as one of the countries with the fasted rate of solar installations with only China producing more as of 2024.
With producers reaching economies of scale and demand continuing to grow, solar’s breakout is likely to continue in the coming years. With demand for solar continuing to grow but access to land development opportunities shrinking, one of the most exciting trends in solar energy is the development of floating solar as an alternative to land-based solar. Floating solar is also known as floating photovoltaics or floatovoltaics.
A floating solar farm is an array of photovoltaic modules mounted on an installation that floats on the surface of a water body, such as a pond or a lake. Floating solar costs are only slightly higher than those of a ground-mounted solar array. Meanwhile, the advantages are compelling. Floating solar reduces land consumption, offers environmental benefits, and presents opportunities for innovative co-use of water bodies such as reservoirs and irrigation canals.
At KMB, we’re solar engineering experts with over 6,500 MW of solar projects designed. Here are a few reasons why we’re excited about floating solar.
Advantages of Floating Photovoltaics
Reduced Land Use and New Opportunities for Solar Energy Growth
Solar farms require the use of large, open land areas. Land co-use is sometimes possible, such as growing shade-tolerant crops under modules. However, a solar farm is typically the primary land use where it’s installed. Thus, the availability of appropriate land limits the potential of solar energy in many regions. Furthermore, land-based solar arrays require significant maintenance efforts, such as mowing and cleaning.
In some areas, certain water surfaces are more available, cheaper, and less regulated compared to nearby land. Installing a floating solar farm on these surfaces involves very little land use (only a small amount of land adjacent to the water body, for grid connection).
Often, the water bodies used for floating solar are already used for purposes such as hydroelectric power generation or irrigation water storage. In such cases, adding a floating solar farm increases the usefulness of a water body without compromising the existing use. As described below, adding a solar array to a pond or lake may even improve its existing use by helping with water conservation and water quality.
Environmental Benefits: Water Conservation and Algae Control
Floating solar farms reduce a water body’s surface exposure to sunlight. This may significantly reduce the amount of water that’s lost via evaporation. Additionally, the water body may be utilized for cleaning the panel surfaces, thus reducing the water use associated with the system. These water conservation benefits are particularly valuable for solar installations on jeopardized or in-demand water bodies, such as lakes in drought-prone areas or ponds that are utilized for irrigation.
Reducing sun exposure can also improve water quality. When less light enters a body of water, algae blooms become less likely and less severe. Algae blooms release harmful toxins that contaminate drinking water, create wildlife dead zones, and impact the taste, odor, and appearance of water. Thus, reducing algae growth is a major potential benefit of floating solar farms in reservoirs, irrigation sources, and other useful water bodies.
Enhanced Productivity from Natural Cooling
Floating solar modules benefit from natural temperature regulation.
Cooling is an important aspect of solar energy generation, as panels are less efficient at high temperatures. The ideal operating temperature for a solar module is around 88 °F, with progressively lower power generation at higher temps. Because daytime water temperatures are typically cooler than nearby ground and air temperatures, water-mounted panels benefit from a natural cooling effect that improves efficiency.
Floating Solar Challenges
While floating solar is an exciting new frontier, this emerging energy source also presents design and maintenance challenges. For example, a solar array operating on water requires superior corrosion resistance and the ability to withstand waves. Maintenance activities are also more difficult to perform on water compared to land.
At KMB Design Group, we’re uniquely positioned to solve the challenges of floating solar, thanks to our extensive solar design experience. We’re excited to be tackling this energy source’s trickiest challenges, to help unlock its benefits to the fullest extent possible.
Floating Solar Adoption and Trends
Floatovoltaics is a young technology. The first floating solar farm was built in Japan in 2007. The first one in the United States was installed in Oakville, CA in 2008.
Today, most of the world’s floating solar farms are in Asia, but several large installations have launched in recent years in the US. These include:
- Healdsburg, CA: 11,600 panels on recycled water ponds meet around 8% of the city’s electricity needs
- Sayreville, NJ: 12,700 panels across three reservoirs power a nearby water treatment plant
- Short Hills, NJ: 16,000 panels on the Canoe Brook Reservoir send power to a nearby water treatment plant
These projects, and others like them, are successfully combining uses in water bodies like recycled water ponds and reservoirs. These projects typically involve power purchase agreements between developers and public agencies. These arrangements help provide long-term renewable energy supplies that benefit the public.
Partner with KMB for Your Next-Generation Green Energy Project
The emergence of floatovoltaics is just one reason to be excited about solar energy these days. Economies of scale in panel production have helped reduce costs, while the maturing industry has hit its stride in more effectively rolling out large solar projects.
Even after many years of growth, solar’s rise may be just beginning. The US Energy Information Administration projects 75% growth in national solar power generation between 2023 and 2025, from 163 to 286 billion kWh.
At KMB Design Group, we’re a full-service engineering solutions provider with extensive experience on major solar projects. Contact our team today to learn more.