Advantages & Disadvantages of Floating Photovoltaic Systems
Advantages and Disadvantages of Floating Photovoltaic Systems
Floating PV systems can collaborate with hydroelectric systems.
Another advantage of installing floating photovoltaic systems is that many reservoirs are equipped with hydroelectric power facilities, allowing for the use of existing power infrastructure to transport the electricity from floating photovoltaic systems to cities. These two types of energy can complement each other well. The intermittency of photovoltaic power generation is one of the main obstacles affecting its development and deployment, while hydroelectric power generation is often controllable.
When the photovoltaic system does not generate electricity at night, hydroelectric power generation can make up for this deficiency. In addition, photovoltaic power generation can also be combined with wind power generation to complement each other.
As global climate change intensifies droughts, conserving water will become even more important. The benefit of floating photovoltaic systems is that even if the water level in the reservoir drops significantly and the hydroelectric power generation begins to decline, the system can still generate electricity.
Sika Gadzanku, an energy technology and policy researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the United States, also stated that floating photovoltaic systems can be well integrated with microgrids, operate independently from the grid, and use photovoltaic systems to charge battery energy storage systems.
The ecological impact needs to be considered for floating photovoltaic systems.
Installing floating PV systems on canals or reservoirs does not require taking up more land. Brandi McKuin, an environmental engineer at the University of California, Merced and one of the authors of the paper, said: "Building a photovoltaic system would require 70 times more land than a natural gas power plant for the same amount of power generation. If we're going to achieve these ambitious climate goals while protecting biodiversity, we really need to think about these solutions that use water bodies.”
For example, the floating photovoltaic system installed at Tengeh Reservoir in Singapore has an area equivalent to 45 football fields.
However, she also pointed out the drawbacks of this plan. As the scale expands, it is necessary to consider the impact on the aquatic ecosystem. For example, a floating photovoltaic system that blocks sunlight may hinder the growth of aquatic plants or affect the survival of local waterbirds and migratory birds. In addition, it is necessary to determine whether there is an optimal spacing for installing photovoltaic panels to allow underwater species to move freely in the water.
Energy is a big problem, and there cannot be a universal solution in the industry. Overall, although floating photovoltaic systems alone cannot provide all the electricity and there are still unexplored drawbacks, the industry believes that they can help achieve diversified power generation, accelerate the renewable energy revolution, and make the power grid more resilient. Therefore, it is worth researching and promoting.
Floating PV systems can collaborate with hydroelectric systems.
Another advantage of installing floating photovoltaic systems is that many reservoirs are equipped with hydroelectric power facilities, allowing for the use of existing power infrastructure to transport the electricity from floating photovoltaic systems to cities. These two types of energy can complement each other well. The intermittency of photovoltaic power generation is one of the main obstacles affecting its development and deployment, while hydroelectric power generation is often controllable.
When the photovoltaic system does not generate electricity at night, hydroelectric power generation can make up for this deficiency. In addition, photovoltaic power generation can also be combined with wind power generation to complement each other.
As global climate change intensifies droughts, conserving water will become even more important. The benefit of floating photovoltaic systems is that even if the water level in the reservoir drops significantly and the hydroelectric power generation begins to decline, the system can still generate electricity.
Sika Gadzanku, an energy technology and policy researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the United States, also stated that floating photovoltaic systems can be well integrated with microgrids, operate independently from the grid, and use photovoltaic systems to charge battery energy storage systems.
The ecological impact needs to be considered for floating photovoltaic systems.
Installing floating PV systems on canals or reservoirs does not require taking up more land. Brandi McKuin, an environmental engineer at the University of California, Merced and one of the authors of the paper, said: "Building a photovoltaic system would require 70 times more land than a natural gas power plant for the same amount of power generation. If we're going to achieve these ambitious climate goals while protecting biodiversity, we really need to think about these solutions that use water bodies.”
For example, the floating photovoltaic system installed at Tengeh Reservoir in Singapore has an area equivalent to 45 football fields.
However, she also pointed out the drawbacks of this plan. As the scale expands, it is necessary to consider the impact on the aquatic ecosystem. For example, a floating photovoltaic system that blocks sunlight may hinder the growth of aquatic plants or affect the survival of local waterbirds and migratory birds. In addition, it is necessary to determine whether there is an optimal spacing for installing photovoltaic panels to allow underwater species to move freely in the water.
Energy is a big problem, and there cannot be a universal solution in the industry. Overall, although floating photovoltaic systems alone cannot provide all the electricity and there are still unexplored drawbacks, the industry believes that they can help achieve diversified power generation, accelerate the renewable energy revolution, and make the power grid more resilient. Therefore, it is worth researching and promoting.
