Floating Solar - The Energy Floats Here
by Marco Weinmann | 14/09/2019
Floating Solar B.V. from the Netherlands is a pioneer of solar systems on water.
Sun and water, that is pure regenerative energy. Power generation on water - a fascinating idea! Floating Solar B.V. from the Netherlands is a pioneering company in this field and sells robust floating solar systems. Managing Director Arnoud Van Druten and his dedicated team have been working on generating solar power on water since 2015. It's a business model that is becoming interesting to more and more potential customers.
How Floating Solar B.V wants to achieve the climate targets
The energy transition is in full swing. The Netherlands has stipulated that at least 16 percent of energy production must come from renewable sources by 2023. Floating Solar B.V. supports companies and municipalities in their goal of moving away from fossil fuels as much as possible. The first customers included companies involved in the treatment of water. In principle, a floating solar plant is interesting for every company and municipality that has its own water surface available.
An extremely exciting project by Floating Solar B.V. is about to be connected to the grid: a 23-megawatt plant that can supply around 9000 families with electricity! The Solar-Log system monitors these plants from Floating Solar B.V. Arnoud Van Druten deliberately chose Solar-Log as a high-end product after intensive market analysis. The energy management system thus proves once again that it is also equipped for very special challenges.
Good Arguments for PV Systems on Water
A system on the water can generate up to 30 percent more energy than conventional solar systems - and thus also generate more yield. That's quite a number! This quickly puts the roughly 15 percent higher costs compared to conventional roof-mounted or ground-mounted systems into perspective. The sun's rays are captured from early to late. This is made possible by rotating and tilting effects. Simply put, the PV system is always turned towards the sun. Floating Solar B.V. has the patent on Optimal Solar Tracking (OST). "You can compare our installations to a catamaran," says Arnoud Van Druten. He is referring to the extremely stable floating substructure. Concerns that such a facility could change the water temperature and thus harm the environment are unjustified. This is because the open structure of the floating PV plants means that heat is immediately dissipated. This means that the water temperature is not affected at all, so there is no negative effect on the ecosystem.
Floating Solar is a joint venture between Sun Projects and Dromec. Both companies are active in the renewable energy sector. Sun Projects is one of the largest suppliers of solar installations in the Netherlands. Dromec is a strong player in wind propulsion technology and coils for the maritime sector.
What makes floating solar so successful?
Of course, very special technical and safety requirements are placed on solar installations on bodies of water. It is clear, for example, that the insulation of modules and cables must meet the highest standards. After all, they must not become damaged for many, many years. The floating energy producers are firmly anchored, but always flexible enough to turn in the direction of the sun and stable enough not to sink or topple over. To maintain the plants, employees sometimes have to climb into a boat, however drones are also being used. There are already a number of off-shore solar plants around the world. According to industry estimates, the installed capacity on water is around 1200 megawatts. A great future beckons for floating power generation, especially in countries with heavy usage.