Solar panels on water

[Grelinette]

A new project in the PACA region which consists of covering a long irrigation canal and open water supply with solar panels.

"To limit the footprint of solar power plants and enhance existing land, the CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique de Cadarche) and the SCP (Sté du Canal de Provence) are working on a photovoltaic power plant project covering the canal de Provence. Experimentation suggests many advantages. "

Here is a video: http://assos.venelles.net/2014/11/des-p ... -provence/

The idea of ​​covering canals and lakes with solar panels to no longer occupy agricultural soil seems to be gaining ground: I recently saw a report on a French company which designed floating solar modules which it installs on lakes especially in Japan.

In the same vein, this system of nestable floating solar panels could be a simple and interesting idea for the many particular swimming pools generally installed in full sun, both for the summer to replace the classic bubble cover, and for winter for wintering a full pool, thus avoiding any risk of freezing and providing security.

What do you think ? (Quick patent ....)

[moinsdewatt]

..... I recently saw a report on a French company which designed floating solar modules which it installs on lakes in particular in Japan ......

Yep, that's it:

Commissioning of the world's largest floating solar power plant

July 19, 2013 enerzine

While Japan remains permanently marked by the nuclear accident of Fukushima, Ciel et Terre, a French SME, announces that it has finalized the design and construction of the largest floating photovoltaic power plant in the world of more than 1 MW.

The plant, installed on a 3-hectare irrigation basin on the outskirts of Tokyo in Okégawa, was built in partnership with the investor West Holdings.

While space remains scarce to build large ground-based power plants, on the other hand, according to the French company, there are "thousands of irrigation lakes and other water reservoirs suitable for floating power plants". With this achievement, Ciel et Terre brings a patented technology (Hydrelio, reliable, guaranteed for 20 years and capable of withstanding the winds of typhoons. Still according to Ciel et Terre, the proposed solution remains "very economical" and "competitive with respect to power plants. on the ground, on expensive land subject to earthquakes. "

The HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) floats making up the solar islands (5.000 modules) were manufactured in France, in Corrèze, and shipped to Japan.



Ciel et Terre's subsidiary in Japan indicates that it is currently developing many other floating power plant projects in the archipelago, with the aim of developing 1.000 MW in the next five years. Immediate consequence: Ciel et Terre International's sales department will be moving to Japan this month to cover Asia and the world.

In France, Ciel et Terre has endeavored - in vain - to have the ministries concerned recognize the specific interest of this technology, which does not consume agricultural space, within the framework of CRE calls for tenders. But as the SME reminds us, "no one is a prophet in his country". France has a large number of suitable water bodies, in particular quarry lakes, where at least 2.000 MW could be installed.

http://www.enerzine.com/1/16045+mise-en ... onde+.html[/ Quote]

[Philippe Schutt]

Is it compatible with river traffic?
The roofs of the factories are in my opinion easier to operate, but here we would be talking about profitability, which some people do not want to hear.

[Grelinette]

Is it compatible with river traffic?
The roofs of the factories are in my opinion easier to operate, but here we would be talking about profitability, which some people do not want to hear.

The vast majority of French water bodies and irrigation canals are not open or suitable for navigation, and the roofs of the factories are perhaps simpler to equip with PV but their surfaces are very much smaller than the surfaces of the plans water and canals, not to mention the frames not adapted to the overweight of PV.

(For the past few years in my region, every winter the roofs of factories and hangars have collapsed under the weight of snow. Admittedly, climatic events are more and more exceptional in a region that is not used to this, but this problem of solidity of frame is my opinion a drawback which does not exist for water bodies).

[Obamot]

And solar panels integrated into all sidewalks, bike paths and roads?


Photo: Keystone

http://www.bluewin.ch/fr/infos/internat ... able-.html

So on the water, I think it's good ...

[Christophe]

5 to 10% more efficiency for floating power plants (improved cooling) but the article does not say whether the flat inclination (unfavorable) is taken into account or not ...

France inaugurates the largest floating solar power plant in Europe on a lake in Vaucluse

Floating solar energy is making its appearance in France with the inauguration a few days ago of the largest floating photovoltaic power plant in Europe. It is installed on an abandoned artificial lake in the municipality of Piolenc, in the Vaucluse. With its 47 panels, it should supply nearly 000 people.

central-solar-Piolenc-Arkuo-Energy.jpg (148.32 KiB) Consulted 4034 times

It is an amazing image. 47 photovoltaic panels cover half of an artificial lake in Piolenc, a town in Vaucluse. The project, in the cards for ten years, was inaugurated this Friday October 000 in the presence of Elisabeth Borne, Minister of the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, and Brune Poirson, Secretary of State for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition.

This 17 megawatt floating solar power plant, the first of such a significant size in France and the largest in Europe, will supply nearly 5 homes, or 000 people. It was installed on an artificial lake, in an old quarry of aggregates extraction, of which the town hall did not know what to do. Thanks to this project and three wind turbines also installed in the town, Piolenc can now boast of being positive energy, and therefore producing more electricity than it consumes.

Improved performance

Currently, in France, only a few very small floating solar parks of a few tens of kilowatts had been tested. But the potential is enormous. According to Arkuo Energy, which developed the project in the Vaucluse with the company Ciel & Terre, if we installed floating solar power plants on all French artificial lakes and dams, we could produce ten gigawatts of energy, the equivalent of ten nuclear reactors.

The advantage is to settle on non-useful surfaces where the sun does not compete with other uses. In addition, the proximity of water allows a better yield, 5 to 10% higher compared to conventional photovoltaic power plants.

There remains the environmental question. Floating power plants never completely cover water bodies to let in light, but some associations are concerned about the impact on underwater fauna and migratory birds, which can confuse the panels with water.

https://www.novethic.fr/actualite/energ ... 47822.html

[izentrop]

In the same place but not the same layout https://www.connaissancedesenergies.org ... ope-191016 Which is the definitive?

[sicetaitsimple]

5 to 10% more efficiency for floating power plants (improved cooling) but the article does not say whether the flat inclination (unfavorable) is taken into account or not ...

The inclination is not entirely flat, but of course limited to avoid any drop shadow effect. The available space must be occupied as much as possible.

floating-solar-power-plant-Akuo-Energy-.jpg (61.02 KB) Viewed 4027 times

[izentrop]

[ENERC]

Hope it doesn't end like this:

https://www.pv-magazine.fr/2019/09/09/l ... hon-faxai/

Normally we have less wind than in Japan. But that is the real problem with these power plants on the water: in the event of very strong winds, it is quite difficult to keep the elements very stable.