Floating Solar Power Plants Coming Soon

Eco Geek   
March 30th, 2011

Credit: Sandia National lab/WikiMedia

By Megan Treacy

We’ve heard about ideas for floating data centers and floating wind turbines; it was only a matter of time before we heard about floating solar power plants.  Australian solar power company Sunengy has just gotten approval for a pilot project in India through a partnership with Tata Power.

The floating solar power units, called Liquid Solar Arrays (LSA), use concentrated photovoltaic technology where a lenses direct the light onto solar cells and move throughout the day to follow the sun.

The company says the advantage to floating a solar power plant is that it erases the need for expensive structures to protect it from inclement weather and high winds — when rough weather comes along, the lenses just submerge.  Floating on water, whether it be the ocean, a lake or a tiny pond, also keeps the solar cells cool, which increases their efficiency and lifespan.  You can see a video demonstration of the technology here.

The pilot project should begin construction this August.  Sunengy as another larger array in the works for 2012 and if both projects go well, they plan to go into full production.

Story originally appeared at Tree Hugger and Eco Geek

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