Floating Solar Arrays on the East End
A floating solar array in Orlando, Florida (Photo by Ciel & Terre)
Could floating Photovoltaic solar (FPV) arrays be a viable solution for the east end of Long Island, an area rich in water bodies and where land comes at an extreme premium? One of the main stumbling blocks for large scale solar implementation on the south fork is the exorbitant price of land and lack of public land for it. At a utility scale, floating PV arrays work around this problem by using calmer bodies of water such as ponds or bays.
From www.solarpowerworldonline.com -
Advantages of FPV
One of the greatest advantages of FPV is that it does not occupy land that could be used for other purposes and eliminates the need for vegetation and tree removal. There is also no risk of obstruction or shade caused by nearby trees, objects or buildings. The floating structure provides shade upon the water surface, decreasing evaporation and water loss in summer months and also resulting in lower water temperatures, which are less susceptible to harmful algal blooms. The water has a cooling effect on the equipment, which is good for efficiency, as high temperatures decrease solar panel performance.
Disadvantages of FPV
FPV installations are more costly than land-based solutions due to specialized equipment needed, although costs are expected to drop with further developments in technology. Also, the majority of FPV are larger in scale, making them suitable for communities, utility companies and municipalities, but not ideal for individual households.
The future of FPV
Ciel & Terre is developing a 1.78-MW floating solar array in Windsor, California.
Floating solar installations have begun to spread throughout Australia, Japan, Europe and South Asia. Japan in particular is looking to renewable energy as an alternative for nuclear energy and has a potential 3-GW capacity through FPV alone.
The technology is also useful because it has the impact of complementing hydropower when installed in dam reservoirs. During seasons of rain and water abundance, hydropower is at the forefront, while summertime and low water levels are more favorable for solar power. The world’s first combined hydro and FPV power plant is in the Alto Rabagao Dam reservoir in Portugal and became operational in 2017.
While it is theoretically possible to install FPV in seas and oceans, the harsh and violent conditions have so far limited their development.
Whereas hydropower accounts for 53% of all operational renewable energy sources worldwide, wind power has a 24% share and solar power is at 18%. The International Energy Agency has named solar energy as the fastest-growing renewable energy source, and the World Bank foresees rapid growth of FPV within the next 20 years. The current trends indicate that FPV is here to stay and expand.