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By Mia Barnes, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Body+Mind Magazine.
Advancing technology creates new sustainable solutions. You might have solar panels on your house and a sun-powered charging station for your phone, but the world is looking to even bigger environmental solutions. Solar farms are cruising the oceans as humanity tries to reduce carbon emissions. Understanding the importance of solar farms could transform how you imagine a greener future.
What Are Floating Solar Farms?
Floating solar farms are collections of solar panels that attach to structures like pontoons. They won’t sink because the equipment beneath floats. The panels also don’t get lost at sea. Each structure remains anchored to the shoreline or bed beneath the ocean, lake, reservoir or whatever body of water it floats on.
Traditional solar panels require extensive areas of flat space. They also work on rooftops, but people may avoid that method because they dislike roof fixtures or the aesthetic. Organizations struggle to find enough room for land-based panels, too. Agricultural properties and federally protected lands limit options in many regions. Floating panels create new opportunities by making solar energy production possible on bodies of water.
Where They’re Becoming Popular
People are already using floating solar farms across the globe. Get inspired by checking out how the panels are helping communities and the environment.
China
China’s solar energy industry is booming, partly because of floating technologies. The country’s biggest solar farm is northwest of Anhui, where 166,000 panels produce green energy in Huainan. Former coal workers now maintain the panels and their flotation devices. The farm creates jobs and functions as an energy source, better supporting the surrounding community.
United States
You might see a floating solar farm during your next road trip. The U.S. is developing more efficient panels with new materials that support water-based solar generation. New Jersey is home to the country’s biggest water-based solar farm, thanks to the Canoe Brook Water Treatment plant. The company installed 16,510 panels on Canoe Brook Reservoir to generate power for the plant’s operations.
France
European countries are also using floating solar technology. France is home to Europe’s largest water-based plant. Les Îlots Blandin moved into a former gravel extraction site and set up 135,000 photovoltaic panels that create 74.3 megawatts (MW) of power at peak production. Thousands of people get green energy without sacrificing any available land.
Thailand
Sirindhorn Dam Floating Solar Farm is one of Thailand’s largest solar energy sources. The site has enough panels to produce 45 MW of electricity alongside the 36 MW from the farm’s hydro technologies. Local carbon emissions drop while power production remains high. Similar sites could generate the same results for communities willing to add floating panels to their waterways.
Environmental Benefits of Floating Solar Panel Technologies
Creating carbon-neutral energy is great for the environment. To understand why so many communities embrace water-based solar panels, you should also know their other benefits.
1. Panels Cool the Water
You’ve already heard how climate change is warming the oceans, but it also affects other bodies of water. Recent research shows that rivers are experiencing heat waves at double to quadruple the rates of previous years. Floating solar farms create instant shade. Sunlight reflects off the panels or gets absorbed by them. The water underneath remains cooler, mitigating one of global warming’s most immediate effects.
2. People Preserve More Land
If you’ve ever flown over the Midwest, you’ve seen lots of flat land that looks relatively empty. Similar sites exist nationwide, but using that land affects surrounding plants and animals. Some plants even remove airborne toxins, so preserving their natural biomes is essential. Attaching solar panels to flotation devices prevents communities from using extra land to generate the clean electricity necessary to support the environment.
3. Water Evaporation Slows
Cooler water doesn’t evaporate as quickly. Heat is the crucial factor that makes the liquid turn into a vapor. When people create solar energy with waterborne panels, they preserve the water beneath them. Evaporation rates slow slightly, which is crucial during intense heat waves and extreme weather.
Animals and plants that depend on those bodies of water will retain access to much-needed hydration sources. The mineral content within the water could also provide a benefit. Evaporation condenses any minerals and chemicals in liquids. Fish swimming beneath the panels will get healthier environments when water levels don’t sink as quickly.
4. Algae Grows Slower
Shade also affects algae that thrives underwater. While some algae support biomes, others are harmful. Algae blooms steal oxygen from the water if left unchecked. Living creatures can die off, removing large parts of the food chain from local biomes. You’ll see fewer green blooms floating around town if floating solar panels block the sunlight they need to grow.
5. Waterborne Panels Catch Extra Sunlight
Imagine a lake or inlet. There may be trees along the shoreline, but the water doesn’t get any shade. The exposed surface is an excellent place for solar panels. They’ll get continuous sunlight compared to those on rooftops surrounded by trees. Foliage can’t block the sun’s position on bodies of water. Panel production is reliable and generates extra electricity for surrounding communities.
6. More Birds Could Survive Migration
Birds have been migrating between habitats since they started flying. While they’re used to navigating the skies, they still require food and rest to reach their destinations. Experts estimate that mortality rates are three times higher during autumn migrations and over six times higher in the spring compared to stationary periods. Birds might achieve higher migration survival rates if they had additional resting places.
Floating solar panels double as places for birds to catch their breath. They’ll restore their energy and potentially catch fish while lingering on the green technology. Another benefit of floating solar farms, especially when they operate on a vast water source, is the extra boost to the food chain.
Potential Challenges Communities Must Overcome
You might feel ready to advocate for a solar farm on the nearest body of water. While your excitement is good for the planet, you should understand the challenges people face when installing floating solar panels. You’ll create effective solutions by researching the scope of your potential project.
Water-Based Solar Farms Require Permits
Any panels that operate on public or multi-use bodies of water will need permits. Some towns might not have permit structures designed for the newer technology. Contact your local government office to see if floating solar farm permits exist. Your town may need time to draft a solution before the project can begin.
Floating Structures Add Costs
U.S. solar panels already cost more due to tariffs, so installing them in America requires more funding than in other countries. Water-based panels also need floatation and anchoring devices. Industry experts estimate that floating solar farms cost 10%-15% more than land-based solar projects. Communities or organizations interested in creating one should prepare a realistic budget based on current U.S. market costs.
Anchoring Needs Require Extra Planning
Changing weather conditions destabilize floating panels. For long-term results, the anchoring engineering should be top-tier. Each panel needs anchors with fluid dynamic calculations for changing surface conditions. The anchors must hold if a lake’s water levels drop during heat waves or if extreme storms affect irrigation canal activity. You may need to seek solar engineers for your project to last.
Upcoming Trends Changing Solar Power Production
Large bodies of water could be the country’s next source of clean electricity. Solar industry changes will affect how people generate power. These are the emerging trends to watch as communities become more sustainable with water-based technologies:
- Floating bifacial panels: Bifacial panels already produce 20% more electricity than traditional models. They catch sunlight reflected off surfaces below each panel, which could work within water-based farms if the panels are on raised, transparent floatation devices.
- Further offshore solar farms: Anchoring equipment and power cabling will advance with time. If they can handle deeper waters and longer distances from shore, you might see floating solar panels farther in the ocean. They could expand solar generating potential without covering smaller bodies of water on land.
- Salinity-resistant materials: Exposure to salty water affects solar panel capacity. Research found that panels with salt deposition lost overall efficiency by 0.948%, which could worsen with prolonged exposure. Advanced materials with salinity resistance will keep panel production high even with years of use.
Saving land while creating greener electricity is a positive step forward. Humanity and the planet can thrive with resources like floating solar panels. If people remain open to new solar research and advancing technologies, you could soon power your home or business with electricity created from a local water source.
Anticipate a Greener Future
Solar panels can do much more than sit on rooftops. They’re already floating across large bodies of water worldwide. Learning about how they work could help you advocate for them in your community. Understand their mechanisms, challenges and potential developments to remain aware of sustainable advancements that could revolutionize the environment.
About the Author
Mia Barnes has been a freelance writer for over 4 years with expertise in healthy living and sustainability. Mia is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the online publication, Body+Mind Magazine.