Solar farms that convert the power of the sun into usable electricity are widely acknowledged to be one of the most important elements of the transition to renewable energy.
They can require a lot of space, however, which may be at a premium, especially in heavily developed areas.
One solution that is increasingly being explored is the development of floating solar farms.
Southeast Asia currently leads the way, with countries including China and South Korea boasting massive floating solar farms.
Japan, Thailand and Singapore also have sites, while India and Indonesia are in the process of developing their own facilities.
Outside the Asia-Pacific region, Europe is starting to get in on the act and is now the second biggest market for this type of renewable.
Floating solar farms can be located at sea but are currently mainly installed in freshwater bodies.
Authorities responsible for the world’s largest man-made artificial reservoir Lake Kariba on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe are currently considering proposals for a huge floating solar site, which would work in tandem with Kariba Dam’s hydro power.
Thailand also has a hybrid system in the Sirindhorn Dam, which allows it to generate electricity in both sunny and cloudy conditions.
Inbuilt cooling can make floating solar more efficient
Floating solar farms work in much the same way as land-based facilities but the water bodies on which they are based can help cool the panels, which the Environmental and Energy Study Institute estimates can improve efficiency by 15%.
There are other potential benefits as they can help prevent water from reservoirs evaporating.
Early indicators suggest they may also help limit the spread of toxic algae, which can be harmful to both humans and wildlife.
What isn’t entirely clear yet is whether these massive floating solar sites could also have negative long-term impacts on wildlife and water quality, with more research and monitoring needed.
The cost is also a potential negative and one of the biggest barriers to adoption, due to the extra infrastructure required.
As well as the panels on the surface, a floating solar farm needs extensive anchorage to keep them in place and this can add an extra 25% in costs.
Intriguingly, floating solar panels could even soon be sent into space, with solar giant LONGi having announced plans to test the potential of harvesting the sun’s energy from an orbit around the Earth.
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