China's Floating Solar Power Plant
Just this month China flipped the switch on the world’s largest floating solar power plant. As a result, this power plant will now provide electricity to about 15,000 homes. This was occurring right about the time the U.S. was pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
This floating solar power plant is located in the city of Huainan. And it is floating in a lake that was created when a coal mine collapsed. After the collapse, heavy rains filled the hole with water creating a lake.
Floating solar power stations, which were first created about a decade ago, are becoming larger over time. They are also becoming more popular throughout the world.This is a innovative approach by a country that has been trying to reduce fossil fuel and coal use. Now they are filling a niche which will allow development of renewable power, where land is in short supply but water is plentiful. Due to China’s over-population problem land is at a premium.
China’s Smog Problem
Because of China’s dependency on coal, cities were experiencing heavy smog in the past. As coal is still the main source of energy there, many cities are still dealing with dense smog issues. Although recently, China has been working to develop new forms of energy like wind, solar and hydropower to fight pollution. As a result, the government is offering many new incentives for businesses to develop alternative energy. This is especially beneficial in poor areas. Not only does this supply a clean supply of power, it also supplies much needed jobs in areas like Huainan.
Also, the benefits of having a water-based solar farm is the effect on the water. Benefits include keeping temperatures down which keeps algae growth down. Additionally, there is less water evaporation, as well. The cooler water temperatures help cool down modules and cable which, in turn, increases the efficiency of the power generation.
Floating Solar Plants Around the World
This floating power station has 160,000 solar panels, which dwarfs the next largest floating solar power station in Japan. Japan’s floating solar power station has 53,000 solar panels. Increasingly, as the benefits are becoming better known there are floating solar stations popping up all over the world. Australia, India, U.K. and the U.S. have also ventured into the floating solar market. Australia’s water-based solar plant is constructed so it will produce 57% more energy than a roof-top solar plant.
Floating Solar Projects in the U.S.
There is a floating solar project in the works for Holtsville, a small town in Southern California. While this town was deeply affected by the drought, it took a lot of effort to convince the county that this was beneficial for water conservation. Now, they are placing floating solar panels on city ponds which will power pumps and the water treatment center. This will save the city a $100,000 a year.
Sonoma Clean Power will be using floating solar arrays to be built on 6 treated water ponds in Sonoma County. This is good for several reasons. First, the hillside scenery is not marred with solar panels. Second, they are spared the expense of leasing property for solar panel placement. Lastly, placement on the ponds keeps the panels hidden from view. While, this, in turn, protects the water in the ponds from evaporation and algae growth.
With over-population making available land scarcer, floating solar projects will be utilized more and more throughout the world. This will also help with water conservation as droughts become longer and more prevalent due to climate change.