Forbes’ Isabelle Branco-Lo writes that the combined power of floating solar on hydropower reserves shows new potential.
- A new report from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that floating solar panels on existing hydro reserves could generate 16-40% of the world’s energy needs.
- Duke Energy has recently announced plans to install 1.1 megawatts worth of floating solar panels in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
“While floating PV (FPV) is 10%-15% higher in upfront capital costs and per-kilowatt cost compared to conventional PV, FPV used in conjunction with hydropower provides a host of other benefits. These include reduced transmission costs by linking to a common substation, reduced evaporation, reduced algae growth on hydro reservoirs, and increased efficiency of panels due to its water-cooling effect.”
Read the full article here.
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