The Spanish solar energy company Sud Renovables has installed the largest floating solar system in the Balearic Islands on top of a rainwater collection pond used for irrigation in Capdepera, Mallorca. The company has been part of the Soltech Group since 2022. The solar panels are installed on top of a rainwater collection pond used for irrigation.
Read also: Spain: solar self-consumption falls short of government targets
Among other features, the system has bird protection devices to prevent possible contamination by birds. “Floating solutions are very important in our region in southern Europe to save water and offer an alternative to the use of agricultural land,” says Manel Romero, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Sud Renovables. The potential of floating solar plants is vast. Despite this, very few artificial lakes are used to generate solar power. To date around 5.6 gigawatts of floating PV capacity have been put in place worldwide, most of this in Asia. Only around 500 megawatts of solar plant capacity is currently floating on European waters.
Read also: Floating solar power: clean electricity from clean waters
Previously, Sud Renovables installed Catalonia's first floating solar system on a rainwater collection pond. Floating solar systems have great potential. It is expected that this solution will be built more frequently in the future. “This is because floating solar systems reduce evaporation from water dams, which is important in regions that are prone to drought,” explains Patrik Hahne, CEO of Soltech Energy. The water in turn helps to cool the solar modules, increasing their output by 10 to 15 per cent. “We expect demand for this type of system to increase,” emphasises Hahne. (nhp)
