Old Pits Become Green Energy Goldmines with Floating Solar
- Floating Solar Panels are revolutionizing renewable energy in Europe, with Baywa r.e. leading the way. Governments, businesses, and utilities now offer subsidies to promote floatovoltaics, providing benefits such as sidestepping land disputes and improving water quality. Projects in Austria and Germany are generating enough energy to power thousands of homes. With red tape and environmental assessments now in place, installation is becoming faster and easier.
Floating Solar Panels are revolutionizing renewable energy as Europe searches for new sites for solar panels. Companies like Baywa r.e. are leading the way in floatovoltaics, installing panels capable of generating half a gigawatt of energy in Europe and Asia, and assessing new sites in South America. Governments, businesses, and utilities are scouring out-of-use industrial areas for available bodies of water, and offering subsidies to promote the technology. Benefits of floatovoltaics include sidestepping land disputes, and improving water quality and reducing water evaporation. The project at Grafenwoerth in Austria produces enough energy to power 7,500 homes, and in Germany, the Cottbuser Ostsee project is set to become the biggest floatovoltaic generator in Europe. Red tape and environmental assessments still delay some projects, but with permits granted, installation is becoming increasingly faster and easier.
What Benefits Does Europe Reap from Floatovoltaics?
- Cost-Savings: Floatovoltaics can save money in areas where expensive land is a barrier to traditional solar installations and can sidestep land disputes.
- Reduced Water Loss: Floatovoltaics reduces evaporation and improve water quality with its closed-loop system.
- Increased Production: Floatovoltaic installations can generate large amounts of energy. The Grafenwoerth project in Austria produced enough energy to power 7,500 homes, and the Cottbuser Ostsee project in Germany is set to become the largest floatovoltaic generator in Europe.
- Quick Installation: With permits granted, installation is becoming increasingly faster and easier.
- Subsidized Projects: Governments, businesses and utilities are offering subsidies for floatovoltaic projects.