Floating solar farms a game-changer

(SINGAPORE)

Floating solar farms offer an ingenious solution for generating clean energy in places like Singapore – where land is scarce.

And testing is underway in waters around the island city-state to gauge the viability of harnessing solar in this way. According to a press release from tech giant, ABB, a study has shown floating solar cells are 11% more efficient – due to the cooling effect of water – than panels placed on land.

ABB tech is being incorporated in what is the world’s biggest floating photovoltaic power plant test-bed, in the Tengeh Reservoir in west Singapore. The one megawatt floating solar plant will be hooked up to the grid and power 250 homes.

“We are proud to support this important project in Singapore with our technological expertise and domain knowledge,” said Tarak Mehta, president of ABB’s Electrification Products division. “This project is perfectly aligned with our Next Level strategy around the energy revolution and is an important step in collaborating with partners to bring more renewables into the future energy mix.”