Floating photovoltaic plants will dominate the market, says expert

“I calculate that the UFF (floating photovoltaic plants) market, in the next 10, 15 years, should surpass ground installations”. This is the prediction of electrical engineer José Teixeira, a specialist in the segment.

According to Teixeira, this dominance will happen because these solar systems have some characteristics that put them at an advantage over land-based plants. “The main advantage is that UFFs make the operation of the photovoltaic panel cooler, increasing efficiency in energy generation. When you raise the system above water you already have the enormous benefit of the natural cooling that this provides”, he explained.

“The second advantage is that they make it easier to clean the modules. For a land installation, for example, you have to take a water truck to the location, use the water to clean the module and it is still lost because it infiltrates the ground. In fact, there is a worrying consequence in these plants, which is the growth of weeds, which later need to be cut”, commented the engineer.

In the case of UFF, he highlighted that the solar panel ends up getting much less dirty. “You have a much longer time between cleanings, and when you need to clean, the water is right under your feet. I even joke with people that just take a brush with a longer handle, wet it and clean the panel. The advantage is that the used water goes back to the reservoir.”

The expert also highlighted that when a photovoltaic plant is placed in the reservoir, water evaporation is prevented. “In many cases the loss of water is brutal, as, for example, in the case of the transposition of the São Francisco River. Due to the gutter being very wide and shallow, the amount of water that is lost through evaporation is enormous. When you cover this with a floating solar system, you can save up to 75% of this evaporation.”

Furthermore, according to Teixeira, UFFs are immune to fires, mainly from burning, and contribute to the use of available and not scarce natural resources. “The advantage is that you don’t have to dispose of that area of ​​land, which can have a much more noble application, as in the case of agriculture, for example”, he pointed out.

Attractive payback

According to José Teixeira, the floating photovoltaic system is usually between 15 and 30% more expensive than an equivalent installation on the ground. “It’s more expensive because of the price of plastic. We are doing work to reach, by the end of next year, only 5 to 10% more expensive.”

However, according to the engineer, due to the advantages, a UFF has a shorter payback than lower-value ground installations. “If you have a cooler panel, with low maintenance, that gets less dirty, you can push more kilowatts onto the grid. We only lose in terms of cost because there are plants on the ground that have solar trackers,” he said.

“Another interesting fact for having a plant on the water is the number of lakes that exist today registered in Brazil by the ANA (National Water Agency), which is around 24 thousand lakes with a length of one thousand meters. Those that are not registered, less than 1 km long, must be three to four times that total”, explained the specialist.

Interest in floating solar plants grows

As solar technology costs fall, interest in floating photovoltaic plants grows. According to a survey conducted by EPE (Energy Research Company), based on data compiled by the World Bank Group, the potential installed capacity in reservoirs is estimated at 4 GW worldwide. According to EPE, investment in solar plants on water surfaces is still 18% higher than photovoltaic production on land.