Researchers discovered that floating PV plants (FPV) can substantially contribute to the achievement of 2030 EU targets. It also can potentially prevent solar energy conflicts with agriculture and other potential risks.
Methods and results
Scientists from Italy and Spain used various parameters and models together with satellite data about each suitable water basin. They also estimated costs, yields, cell temperature and capacities of various floating and land PV (LPV) systems. Researchers simulated energy yields of modules by using PVWatts DC power model with data on irradiance from CAMS Radiation Service. Simulations used Trina Solar of 21.4% efficiency, inverters of 96% efficiency, and DC to AC losses of 14%. The modules were south-oriented. The PV system’s lifetime was set at 25 years.
It was discovered that FPV installations are cost-effective in certain Southern European countries. The study shows that in the Mediterranean countries, where the average amounts of sunlight are high, FPV plants can achieve up to 2% greater energy yields than land-based installations. However, some configurations don’t allow FPVs to achieve lower temperatures than LPV systems and, eventually, lead to lower energy yields. Yet, if the FPV installation costs can be reduced by less than 12%, floating PV systems can be cost-competitive to the land-based ones even in cases of underperformance. The cost-effectiveness can even be greater when FPV is combined with hydropower because in this configuration floating plants can use existing infrastructures.
The study also revealed that each additional degree of tilt angle of FPV systems is worth between 2.5 and 7.5 euros per kW. FPV systems can also produce the yield between 640 and 1688 kWh with capacity factors of 7.3 to 7.9 percent.
The future of FPV
Floating solar plants have long been treated as a go-to solution in future solar developments. Indeed, there are many advantages associated with such systems. Here are a few main ones:
- No need for site preparations and ground grading. You don’t need to install foundations and can build photovoltaic plants in areas with more complex ground conditions.
- Lower rent fees are potentially lower for on-water sites.
- There is no competition with agricultural land.
- FPV can also reduce evaporation rates and save water for other necessary operations (e.g. hydropower).
- FPV also benefits from the cooling effect from water and produces higher yields.
However, all these benefits still depend on the location and legislature of an area and are not universal.
You might also be interested in:
September 13, 2023
The Digital Twin: a game-changer in PV design
A digital twin is an emerging technology in the PV industry. It offers vast capabilities for measuring PV plant performance and making the best engineering decisions.
September 7, 2023
The solar industry then and now — how digital tools shape solar engineering
Sophie Nguyen, Senior Technical Support Engineer at PVcase, shares her experience in the development of solar engineering and the constant progress of solar design tools.
August 2, 2023
PVcase introduces the first terrain-following tracker PV system construction design software capabilities for ground-mounted projects
The new tool simplifies the design of Nevados tracker-mounted solar PV projects on topographic sites.
July 26, 2023
BNEF Q2 solar energy report — our key takeaways
Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), a strategic research provider covering global commodity markets and technologies for a low-carbon economy, has recently released a report on…
July 18, 2023
PVcase secures $100M investment to support its mission: cut solar’s growing “data risk” challenge
Round led by investment funds Highland Europe, Energize Ventures and existing investor Elephant underscores critical need for disruptive technology solutions to propel rapidly…
July 17, 2023
Solar plant design guide: the basics
Let's dig deeper into the basics of solar plant design and how PVcase can significantly help you with this solar farm design guide.
July 3, 2023
PVcase’s adventures at Intersolar Europe 2023
Let's explore the key highlights of our team’s experiences at Intersolar.
June 30, 2023
Guide to sustainable business practices
Learn about the benefits of sustainability, how to evaluate and reduce your environmental impact, and what resources are available to support your business.
June 29, 2023
Agrivoltaics in Europe: a closer look at the facts and figures
Agrivoltaics is the new hope in the renewable energy sector. Let's see the current situation of agrivoltaics in Europe.
June 22, 2023
What it means to be a carbon-neutral company, and how to get there
Becoming a carbon-neutral business can be a difficult task. Learn how to reduce emissions, offset remaining CO2, and communicate your efforts.
June 22, 2023
The solar industry in Poland — key facts and numbers
Poland has been actively working to diversify its energy mix and reduce its dependence on coal, leading to an increased focus on renewable energy sources like solar power.
June 19, 2023
PVcase incorporating Zimmermann Tracker GmbH Cardan Joint in latest software update!
PVcase and Zimmermann PV-Tracker are pleased to announce that they collaborated in the development of the latest PVcase Ground Mount update.
June 19, 2023
Terrain-following trackers webinar insights: Addressing your FAQs
Recently we organized a webinar on our terrain-following trackers feature. Below we give you the answers to the most frequently asked webinar questions.
June 15, 2023
6 low-tech strategies to beat the high-tech threat of cyber crime
Cybercrime is on the rise. Discover how to bolster your business's cybersecurity with mitigation strategies, redundancy, solar power, and physical security measures.
June 12, 2023
PVcase team heads to Intersolar Europe 2023
PVcase will hit the road again in the middle of June. This time our team will board the planes to Munich to participate in Intersolar Europe 2023.