Europe's largest floating solar plant has an unseen innovation
Solar panels can not only be erected on the ground, but they can also float on the water.
Water-based solar panels have long been 10-15% more expensive than above-ground ones. But their high cost comes with a payoff.
First of all, they do not take up "land"; in addition, they are about 16% more efficient because of the cooling effect of water; and, if installed in a hydroelectric dam, these solar panels reduce water evaporation.
However, for a long time, floating solar panels have been made from virgin plastic HDPE using degree suspension modules underneath.
But not so with Portugal's Alqueva floating solar station, the soon-to-be largest dam floating solar station in Europe, which will swap out the suspended modules for lower-carbon materials.
Amorim has created new materials made from recycled plastic and cork that are expected to reduce the carbon footprint of the solar station by 30 percent.
Moreover, the new modules are expected to last at least 30 years, just like the original plastic products.
Floating solar panels are a market that is still growing rapidly. in 2021, the global floating solar panel market will be approximately $2.5 billion, and by 2030, this figure is expected to exceed $10 billion.