Traditional solar panels have always had a weakness. And it means they miss out on hours of prime sunlight every day.
But a fresh technology has hit the industry that’s changing the game.
This system doesn’t just sit on the water waiting for the sunlight to hit the right angle. It actually tracks the sky.
Engineers have delivered a floating structure that functions like a living organism. What is this new form of clean energy inspired by nature?
Why water-mounted solar arrays have pros and cons
The global green energy boom has seen solar technology developing fast.
In 2011, only 72 megawatts of clean power were being generated by aquatic arrays across the whole world. In 2021, this number had exploded to 843 megawatts.
Experts are predicting that the global market may reach $23.5 billion by 2031.
Installing solar arrays on the water is an excellent plan. The hardware is naturally cooled by the water, which prevents overheating.
The potential for scaling up is exponential. If you look at just the man-made reservoirs, covering just 10% of them could generate 20 terawatts of power.
This is 20 times the entire planet’s current solar capacity.
But floating farms have had a major weakness since the first one went into operation. They lie flat and in a fixed position on the water.
Up to 60% of peak efficiency is lost in the off-peak hours because they are static.
A radical new design is changing the game as technology moves with the times, literally and figuratively.
Installing mobile platforms on the water requires top engineering
The engineering needed to construct a massive, artificial island on open water is intense. Just the brutal elements alone are super challenging.
Some of the problems have been solved with innovative advanced, highly durable materials.
Most floating platforms are built from 100% recycled polypropylene incorporating glass fiber and UV-resistant high-density polyethylene. This specific recipe creates an incredibly tough shield.
There’s a new technology on the solar scene that’s blowing the competition out of the water in terms of innovation.
The structure withstands winds of up to 124 miles per hour and copes with snow loads of 29 pounds per square foot. Waves of up to 6.5 feet are not a problem.
The whole system is kept secure by a dynamic anchoring setup using piles on the bottom, concrete sinkers, or bank anchoring.
One of the cleverest aspects of the tech is a specialized outer ring and cable system. The ‘island’ can rise and fall with the level of the water. It has 98 feet of adjustable height to work with.
This device is the ideal foundation for a full-circle movement. What major shortcoming have engineers managed to overcome?
Inspired by nature, like all good energy technology is
This latest floating solar technology is SolarisFloat’s Protevs platform. It’s a giant “flower” intended for aquatic rather than garden life.
Mechanical, geospatial, and light sensors are incorporated to track the sun.
And this is the best part: electric motors slowly rotate the island from east to west. The platform moves in one direction all day to follow the sun and maximize energy capture.
At night, it reverses to reset.
The motors consume less than 0.5% of the energy generated to complete the movement cycle.
But keeping the panels aligned with the sun boosts total production by up to 40% compared to fixed systems.
One 20,451-square-foot modular island can carry up to 592 modules. A unit with 360 rotating panels and 500-watt modules could reach an installed capacity of nearly 295 kilowatts.
Benefits for the ecosystem below, too
The shadow of the platform blocks intense sunlight, reducing water evaporation by up to 60% and lowering the temperature of the water.
Cooler, shaded water limits the growth of harmful algae and micro-organisms. This means fish have a safer environment.
Onboard oxygenating equipment can even be installed to improve water quality even more.
By modeling industrial hardware on nature, clean energy can protect the planet above and below the surface.