What are floating Solar panels, what are they, and how beneficial can they be?

Humans are known for their capability of thinking and generating ideas and escapes by changing current views or inventing an entirely new thing. 

This capability of the human race has made them the dominant on this earth and is helping them to continue their races strongly. But when their ways get too mean, nature has its way of teaching them who is the real boss.

So after experiencing all the teaching from nature and realizing that the combination of both technology and the strong influence of nature is required for life to survive. Humans started inventing ideas that could be beneficially more advanced and eco-friendly without any significant drawbacks towards nature (Solar panels).

This thinking has led humans to approach renewable energy sources like solar, hydro, wind, etc., as solar has its advantages and disadvantages. To minimize the list of weaknesses, humans are making efforts with innovative and generative minds, which has created a new technology that has become the talk of the town.

As this is something new that both humans and nature will love it.

“The Floating Solar panels”

Yes, you heard it right floating solar panels are the new thing that has evolved, completely changing the outlook of energy production.

What are Floating Solar Panels?

This is a new technique in which solar panels are laden on a structure that floats over the water’s surface, mainly over a reservoir or lakes. 

In this innovative idea load of solar panels are loaded over a massive structure in a proper frame or pattern, which helps the whole system to float over the water surface and is connected to a battery where the total generated energy is stored.

This is a great revolution in the solar energy chapter, a combined way of producing solar energy with tracking the sun’s movement for a clean energy step.

Reasons for the development of Floating Solar Panels:-

• Shortage of land area:- It’s the best way to avoid land consumption. This can be a significant step to stopping deforestation and creating substantial new installation spaces.
• Installation:- Their installation and decommissioning are much more straightforward than one of the land.
• Water quality and conversation:- It is a great way to reduce the evaporation rate of this water by covering them, especially in arid areas like India. This can be more beneficial for the irrigation basins, which can be used to store water reducing the evaporation rate with the size of generating solar energy.
• Environment control:-  Installing this can have a very positive effect in reducing the algal bloom reduction. This has become a significant problem because it makes the water environment inhabitable and degrades water quality.
• Sun Tracking:- These floating structures can move quickly horizontally and vertically to track the sun’s movement, similar to a sunflower. This movement of the panels doesn’t require tremendous energy, a mechanical propeller, etc.
• Increases the efficiency of the solar panels:- Natural cooling and placing the panels so close to cooling sources like water can increases their efficiency by 5% to 15%, then the panels placed on the roof without any particular cooling system. (solar energy)

Talking as per the current research, less than 1% of the world has been able to set up these floating solar panels in their country.

This construction and installation can be 25% more expensive compared to the one on land.

So there is continuous research on this topic to make this process more price-friendly so that various other countries can even adopt it with open arms.

This technology has many things to provide and is eco-friendly in various ways.

So let’s look at locations around the country where these setups are done.

Most extensive Floating solar panels facilities

These are some of the registered largest power stations made to date for the floating PV cells around the country. This power station proves that this very new revolution of solar energy is possible and even futile. 

And even the last one in Sayreville, New Jersey, USA, with a nominal power of 4.4.

But even with all these glories, this project is facing some challenges that have become hindrances to becoming a globally adapted technology for solar power harnessing.

Challenges:-

1. Maintenance complexity – The maintenance and operation of these panels can be a bit tough and tricky to do in water compared to the land.
2. Waves:- This floating PV system needs to be capable of withstanding solid and heavy waves of winds on-shore and off-shore which it is not currently able to. They need to become resistant to these strong waves to maintain their system, connection and wiring.
3. Electrical safety and long-term reliability- Precaution and system need to be advanced to work appropriately over water, especially salty water, which is a good conductor and even slows down the corrosion process to enhance its shelf-life. (solar system)

Conclusion

So as new technologies are emerging, this technology survives. And that floating solar panels will flourish more and play a significant role in energy production globally.