Floating Solar Power Stations: Future Development Potential and Challenges

Floating solar power stations are emerging as a promising clean energy technology, offering significant advantages in land conservation, increased power generation, and ease of construction. This article analyzes the cost, technical advantages, development prospects, and challenges associated with floating solar power stations.

Cost and Technical Advantages of Floating Solar Power Stations

Cost Analysis: The floating body of a floating solar power station accounts for 80% of the total cost, while other production and processing costs account for 20%.

Technical Advantages: Floating solar power stations offer the following advantages:

• Land Conservation: Floating power stations do not require land and can utilize water bodies, effectively alleviating land resource scarcity.
• Increased Power Generation: Floating power stations can lower component surface temperatures, reducing the impact of temperature on power generation. Their compact layout and adaptability make them ideal for use with bifacial modules.
• Easy Construction: The modular design of floating power stations allows for a short construction period and does not require highly skilled workers.
• Water Body Protection: Floating power stations can reduce water body evaporation, inhibit algae growth, and can be combined with fish farming for dual benefits.
• Convenient Operation and Maintenance: Installation and maintenance of floating power stations are relatively simple, and remote monitoring and control are achievable.

Factors Influencing Increased Power Generation of Floating Solar Power Stations

• Reduced Component Surface Temperature: Floating power stations can lower component surface temperatures, mitigating the impact of temperature on power generation.

Data from Japan, South Korea, and Singapore’s Solar Energy Research Institute show that floating power stations can achieve a 10-15% increase in power generation compared to ground-mounted systems. This potential for increased efficiency brings floating solar power stations closer to grid parity.

• Compact Layout: The compact layout of floating power stations and their adaptability complement the use of bifacial modules.
• Reduced Water Dust: The reflective surface of the floating body complements the application of bifacial modules.

Development Prospects of Floating Solar Power Stations

As the number of floating photovoltaic power plant applications on water surfaces increases, valuable experience is being accumulated. Vast water areas suitable for floating solar power station construction exist globally, with composite models like fishery-photovoltaic complementation offering comprehensive utilization of water resources.

Future Development Space

• Reduce Floating Body Prices: The price of floating bodies is a bottleneck for the development of floating solar power stations. Cost reduction is crucial for wider adoption.
• Improve Supporting Facilities: Floating solar power stations require improved supporting facilities, such as anchoring design, inverter booster floating platform design, and cable laying plans, to better adapt to complex environments.
• Strengthen Technology Research and Development: Continuous exploration is needed in areas like improving power generation efficiency, extending equipment lifespan, and reducing maintenance costs.

Summary:

Floating solar power stations have immense development potential, effectively utilizing water resources, increasing power generation, and contributing to environmental protection and economic development. As technology advances and costs decrease, floating solar power stations will become a vital component of future clean energy systems. In regions with limited land resources or abundant water resources, primarily in Asia, North America, and Africa, the potential water area exceeds 100,000 square kilometers. Asia and North America have the most suitable water areas for power station projects, with over 2,000 potential sites. Developing and utilizing just 1% of these water bodies could result in a 400GW capacity.

Keywords: Floating Solar Power Station, Solar Floating mounting system, Renewable Energy, Clean Energy, Bifacial Modules, Water Conservation, Land Conservation.