Floating solar panels could advance US energy goals

Floating solar panels could advance US energy goals

by Clarence Oxford

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 15, 2025

Federal reservoirs have the potential to significantly contribute to meeting the country’s solar energy needs, according to a recent study published in Solar Energy.

Geospatial scientists Evan Rosenlieb and Marie Rivers, along with Aaron Levine, a senior legal and regulatory analyst at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), conducted the first comprehensive analysis to quantify the energy potential of floating solar panel projects on federally owned or regulated reservoirs. Their findings reveal that these reservoirs could support floating solar panels capable of generating up to 1,476 terawatt hours of energy annually – enough to power approximately 100 million homes.

“That’s a technical potential,” Rosenlieb explained, clarifying that this figure represents the maximum energy generation possible if every reservoir were fully utilized for floating solar panels. “We know we’re not going to be able to develop all of this. But even if you could develop 10% of what we identified, that would go a long way.”

Although the study does not yet account for the potential impacts of human and wildlife activities on floating solar development, the researchers plan to address these factors in future work. This enhanced data provides critical insights that could streamline project planning and assist in evaluating how floating solar fits into the nation’s energy strategy.

Floating solar panels, or floating PV, offer several advantages. In addition to generating electricity without consuming land resources, they provide cooling and shading to water bodies, reducing evaporation and conserving water supplies. However, large-scale installations remain absent in the U.S., with no single project exceeding 10 megawatts.

Levine noted the challenges and opportunities: “We haven’t seen any large-scale installations, like at a large reservoir. In the United States, we don’t have a single project over 10 megawatts.”

Previous attempts to estimate the energy potential of floating solar panels in the U.S. lacked the detailed analysis of this study, which evaluates the suitability of reservoirs based on factors such as water conditions and infrastructure requirements. For instance, reservoirs with frequent shipping traffic, extreme temperatures, or steeply sloping bottoms may pose challenges for floating solar installations. However, some hydropower reservoirs could serve as excellent sites for hybrid energy systems combining solar and hydropower, enhancing grid reliability and resilience.

The researchers also highlighted the potential of new reservoirs created for pumped storage hydropower projects. These reservoirs, which are often isolated from natural waterways, could serve as ideal locations for floating solar panels, as they do not impact existing ecosystems or human activities.

Future studies will assess additional factors, such as proximity to transmission lines, site-specific development costs, and regulatory considerations. The researchers also plan to expand their analysis to include smaller reservoirs, estuaries, and ocean sites.

Research Report:Floating photovoltaic technical potential: A novel geospatial approach on federally controlled reservoirs in the United States