Floating solar panels provide enticing clean energy possibilities. They can help overcome cost, space and feasibility hurdles plaguing land-based solar, floating offshore wind and hydroelectricity alternatives in some regions.
To really be unlocked everywhere, though, the systems need to be able to withstand harsh offshore conditions. That makes a breakthrough system by researchers at Jiangsu University of Science and Technology particularly exciting for the tech's future development.
The research team's model was reportedly able to withstand waves of up to 13 feet in testing and generated valuable information for future innovation, as PV Magazine detailed. The findings were published in the Ocean Engineering journal.
"Our work made significant progress in understanding the hydrodynamic responses of a novel offshore floating photovoltaic system (FPV), which is designed to optimize performance and stability in challenging marine environments," researcher Sheng Xu told PV Magazine.
The Jiangsu team tested their 1:20 scale model against 21 regular and irregular wave conditions in the school's wave basin. Their novel design included floating pontoons and solar panels atop a support structure. The researchers say the study provides "in-depth insights into the complex dynamics of a multi-module FPV system." The researchers touted their model's seakeeping performance and stability in the study.
"These findings are valuable for the engineering and design community and will contribute to the cost-effective deployment and robust application of floating solar technology in offshore environments," Xu said.
The researchers' work mirrors efforts by Italian company Xolarsurf to take on all types of conditions. Xolarsurf is remarkably looking to take on 26-foot waves in the North Atlantic. Meanwhile, researchers in Italy have pointed to Africa as an ideal spot for FPV tech to provide clean energy instead of hydroelectricity. Already, floating solar has popped up around the globe as a creative solution for forgotten lagoons and reservoirs.
For those put off by the aesthetics of roadside solar farms, that is welcome news. The 2024 Paris Olympic Games were a showcase for the tech, with a floating solar farm on the Seine providing energy to the Olympic Village. In America, projects in Florida and Utah have gone live, with supporters touting the fact that they don't compete with agriculture for land. The panels are cooled by the water, which can increase efficiency while cutting down on evaporation and limiting algae growth, as RatedPower noted.
While floating solar is in its early stages of development, it can play an increasing role in helping the world shift away from dirty energy that is warming the planet.
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As far as what's next for the tech, the team says "their analysis indicated that the FPV system is most vulnerable under beam sea conditions." That would be waves coming at a 90-degree angle to the keel of the boat. Next up will be using information like that to optimize FPV systems for all manners of conditions.
"This critical insight allows for targeted design modifications to ensure resilience under the most challenging wave conditions," the researchers concluded.
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