Asia's Best-Kept Secret: Floating Solar Power Explodes onto the US Scene

Joe Seaman-Graves, urban planner for the blue-collar city of Cohoes, New York, was astonished when he stumbled upon the concept of "floating solar" while trawling the internet. Recognizing the pressing need for cost-effective electricity in his humble town, and constrained by a shortage of vacant land, he noticed the potential of their vast 14-acre water reservoir.

This chance discovery led Seaman-Graves to realize that his reservoir could house a floating solar array that could fully energize the city's public infrastructure and streetlights, leading to an annual financial saving of more than half a million dollars. He had inadvertently uncovered a rapidly scaling, renewable energy solution.

The floating solar industry, following a fast-paced growth trajectory in Asia, is now on the cusp of a significant breakthrough in the United States. The popularity of these water-based solar systems stems not only from their clean energy output and minimal land requirement, but also from their ability to conserve water through evaporation prevention.

Research in Nature Sustainability, published in March, reveals that more than 6,000 cities across 124 countries could meet their entire electricity needs through floating solar. This strategy could also save enough water annually to fill 40 million Olympic-sized swimming pools, highlighting its potential as a viable climate solution.

Zhenzhong Zeng, co-author of the study and associate professor at the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, mentioned that several US counties, especially in Florida, Nevada, and California, have the potential to generate surplus power using floating solar. However, he emphasized the need for an energy mix to ensure round-the-clock power supply.

Floating solar technology is quite straightforward, it involves attaching solar panels to rafts, enabling them to float on water, thereby sparing valuable land for agricultural or infrastructural use. These floating installations reduce evaporation to a bare minimum, offering significant advantages to drought-prone areas like California. The cooling effect of the water enhances the performance of the solar panels, making them more efficient than land-based systems.

Chris Bartle, Director of Sales and Marketing for floating solar company Ciel & Terre, shared that installers are fond of this alternative method, as it provides a refreshing change from rooftop installations. Bartle's firm has successfully completed 28 floating solar projects in the US so far.

Limited available land has encouraged Asian countries like Japan and Malaysia to embrace floating solar technology, while the significant reduction in solar prices globally has further fueled its adoption.

Fairfield Market Research, based in London, estimates that Asia contributes to 73% of the global floating solar revenue but predicts considerable growth in North America and Europe due to policy incentives.

Ciel & Terre has also constructed one of the largest floating solar farms in the US, a 4.8 MW project in Healdsburg, California. However, the world's biggest array is the 320 MW Dezhou Dingzhuang Floating Solar Farm in Shandong, China. North America's largest equivalent is just 8.9 MW, located at the Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant in Millburn, NJ.

Initial higher costs are a challenge for floating solar technology. Bartle estimates an upfront cost of 10-15% more than land-based solar. However, the long-term savings offset these expenses. The technology faces other limitations too, including its inability to function on fast-moving water, open oceans, or shores with large waves.

Simultaneously, efforts are underway to address potential challenges. For example, if the solar arrays cover too much of the water surface, it could alter dissolved oxygen levels and water temperatures, potentially affecting aquatic life. Researchers are examining the possible impact of the electromagnetic fields produced by the underwater cables on aquatic ecosystems.

Meanwhile, Duke Energy, a prominent US utility, is testing a small floating solar pilot in Bartow, Florida, as part of its commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

In Cohoes, the city officials are gearing up for the installation of their floating solar project this year, with an estimated final price tag of $6.5 million. The federal government is shouldering nearly half the cost through a federal Housing and Urban Development grant, with an additional $750,000 contributed by National Grid, the utility. The city is also exploring New York solar incentives and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Seaman-Graves believes their project is the first of its kind in the US, being municipally-owned. He sees this as a significant opportunity for low to moderate-income cities to emulate their approach, paving the way for a sustainable future.

Source : wspa.com (Reporting by ISABELLA O'MALLEY)