Floating Solar is not just Panels on Platform


Floating Solar Panels
Image result for floating solar panel in india

A total of 1.1 gigawatts(GW) of solar have been installed around the world as of September, according to a new report by the World Bank. That's similar to the amount of traditional solar panel's capacity that had been installed around the world in the year 2000, the report says. The World Bank expects that, like traditional solar 18 years ago, we're likely to see an explosion of floating solar over the next two decades.

Floating solar is picking up in the US, China, Japan, the UK, India. In India the first floating PV plant of 10 KW was installed in a lake, in Kolkata, in 2014. Recently a 100 KW floating solar power plant was installed in NTPC Kayamkulam, in Kerala which is the largest  system in India. The floating platform was indigenously developed by NTPC’s Energy Technology Research Alliance and the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology.

To grow solar farms,converting fertile agricultural and other productive land would not be a wise idea. Food security or feeding its people is the priority for any country, with the raising population. Also in many cases lands have to be cleared of thick vegetation and leveled. In island nations like Singapore, Philippines, Korea and Japan, land is scarce. An attractive alternative to the land based solar generation is to utilize the surface of water bodies like lakes, ponds, reservoirs, dams which come at no cost.

As the demand for clean water is growing rapidly, minimizing the loss of water from evaporation, is important. It was reported in March 2017, that in Jayakwadi dam, in the state of Maharashtra, the daily evaporation loss of water in monsoon season was 0.4 - 0.5 million cubic meter and 1.3 million cubic meter per day during peak summer. In the month of March alone, the reservoir lost 36.01 million cubic meter, which is equivalent to one month’s water supply for the city of Pune. After trying several methods from preventing loss of water from evaporation. Floating solar panels have been considered as the best, to reduce evaporation losses, as they would reduce substantially the sun rays from reaching the water below. One of the leading suppliers of Floating PV systems has claimed that water losses could be reduced to as much as 70% and makes a good case for these systems.

Besides preventing water losses, floating solar panels prevents algae growth.This is particularly of interest to water utility companies as it reduces the water treatment and labor costs.Also as large power consumers, utilizing the water surface to generate electricity help them save on their energy cost. The modules in floating systems operate under much cooler environment and this would reduce thermal losses and with that production increases. Additionally the dust collection issues would be minimum leading to enhanced generation and reduced cleaning frequency. The Water Resources Corporation in Korea in their study found that Floating PV systems generate 11% more energy than an equivalent land based system. There are other studies which report even higher energy generation, closer to 20%. Besides the enhancement in generation, there is no cost, to get water for module cleaning. Where we will go for bore-well in case of land based solar plant.

Down side is, floating platforms and water-resistant wiring are more expensive for water-dwelling panels, than for their land-based ones. Since solar PV panel cost is coming down, the extra cost to make a floating system might save it from being considered too expensive. All metallic components have to be kept above water level, with floats to prevent corrosion and should be anchored well to withstand storms and rapid flow of water, during floods. Present floating PV systems can withstand wind speeds up to 190 kmph and waves of 2 meter height. Many institutions and industries are already engaged in developing simpler design, stronger and longer lasting materials for floating structures, PV specific anchoring/mooring systems and others with equalant prices of on-land solar panels.

You may like to view:

Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute:  http://www.germi.org/training-calendar.html 

Solar Energy Corporation of India:  http://seci.co.in/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Net Metering

Image
   Net Metering    is   a   new   concept   where   an instrument  which  has  a  special  metering  and billing  agreement  between  utilities  and  their customers,  facilitates  the  connection  of  small,renewable energy-generating systems to the power grid. This new  programme  is  being  developed  to  encourage  small-scale  renewable  energy  systems  to  ensure  that  customers always  have  a  reliable  source  of  energy  even  when  their renewable  generators  are  not  producing  energy,  and  to provide substantial benefits to the electric power-generating system as well as the environment. When  a  net  metering  client’s  renewable  generator  is producing more power than is being consumed, the electric meter runs backward generating credits. Whenever the net metering customer uses more power than is being produced, the meter runs forward normally. Net metering customers are charged only for the net power that they consume from the electricity service provider t
Read more

Solar Rotation Hanger

Image
In cities, usually we will be little worried about drying clothes in our balcony. During winter and rainy, we try a lot to dry our clothes, turning them, changing to sunlight, fading out colour, if receives too much sunlight. Here we got a hanger rack that can be automatically rotated by solar power generation. Compared with traditional hangers, this hanger can greatly reduce the drying time of the clothing. It will sterilize the whole surface, eliminate bacteria, protect family health. An Innovation different way from traditional clothes drying method. It is a hanger rack that can be automatically rotated by solar power generation. Compared with traditional hangers, this hanger can greatly reduce the drying time of the clothing. It will sterilize the whole surface, eliminate bacteria, protect family health.   The hanger rack can rotate 360 ° to sunlight the laundry in all directions. Derived by rigorous calculation, It can reach 6 rotations per minute moderate rotation speed. Th
Read more

Solar Powered Tent

Image
Solar Powered Tent for Campers:   Recreational camp­ing is all about communing with nature and spending time with your family outdoors be it in the park, at the beach or in the woods. To differentiate from regular life that make it count: Cooking over a fire instead of over a gas stove, sleeping under the stars instead of under a solid roof, carrying water on your back instead of turning on a faucet If you love outdoors and enjoy camping, you’ll agree that the tent is a very important equipment. It provides us shelter and most importantly, it gives power supply in your camping. Solar power is a common alternative energy source these days, and it's not just giant solar panels on buildings anymore. The U.S. military is developing flexible solar-panel fabric that can be used for tents and uniforms. And on the civilian front, you can use small, portable solar panels to power devices like cell phones, MP3 players and digital cameras -- and for indoor tent lighting, it turns out. Ther
Read more