According to recent research published in Solar Energy, federally regulated reservoirs may house enough floating solar panels to provide up to 1,476 terawatt hours of power per year, highlighting the potential for large-scale floating solar panel projects. About 100 million US households could be powered annually with this amount.

This study offers the first quantitative evaluation of floating solar panel potential on federally owned or regulated reservoirs. It was carried out by geospatial scientists Evan Rosenlieb and Marie Rivers and senior legal and regulatory analyst Aaron Levine from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

According to the research, the 1,476 terawatt-hour estimate is the technical potential or the highest amount of energy that might be produced. The nation’s solar energy capacity would be greatly increased if even 10% of this potential could be realized.

Benefits and Challenges of Floating Solar Energy

Floating PV, or floating solar panels, have several benefits. In addition to helping save water by cooling and shading reservoirs, which lowers evaporation, they provide energy without occupying any limited land resources. Despite these advantages, the United States currently has no large-scale floating solar panel projects larger than 10 megawatts.

A number of issues must be resolved to allow for widespread adoption. Marine traffic, extremely high temperatures, or steep slopes can hamper the installation of solar panels in certain reservoirs. However, thanks to hydropower reservoirs, hybrid systems that combine solar and hydropower have good prospects for improving energy dependability. For example, solar panels may continue to provide electricity during droughts while reservoirs are being replenished.

Moreover, recent pumped storage hydropower projects provide reservoirs isolated from natural ecosystems, making them perfect for floating solar panels without interfering with wildlife or human activities.

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Future Directions for Floating Solar Research and Development

The NREL researchers want to improve their study by looking at things like construction costs, environmental implications at particular locations, and proximity to transmission lines. Additionally, they intend to assess potential sites for floating solar arrays in estuaries, smaller reservoirs, and possibly the ocean.

Future research will examine the viability of incorporating floating solar systems into more comprehensive energy schemes and navigating regulations for companies. This research supports the United States’ renewable energy ambitions and helps companies expedite project design by providing more precise data.

The DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) provided funding for the project through its Water Power Technologies Office and Solar Energy Technologies Office.

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