Lawmakers and a Utah-based floating solar company are starting to think big when it comes to mounting environmental and economic problems in the Great Salt Lake and Lake Powell areas.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported on Water Wise Solar Solution's proposal to address both surging power demand and concerning water loss with major floating solar projects. The company and Rep. Hoang Nguyen, a Democrat from Salt Lake City, touted the plan in a Jan. 9 presentation to the Legislative Water Development Commission.
"It's something that's intriguing to me," Nguyen said. "We have to think outta the box."
The floating panels could help on multiple fronts. Lakes in Utah are rapidly losing water, with Great Salt Lake alone suffering nearly three million acre-feet a year in losses due to evaporation, per Water Wise Solar Solutions.
Alongside that development is the rise in data centers fueling AI, putting strain on the grid, and skyrocketing demand for energy. Water Wise Solar Solution argues that the potential panels could significantly reduce water loss from evaporation, enhance existing hydropower, save land for solar farms for other uses, and provide clean energy for Utah residents.
One important caveat is that much research needs to be done to minimize the impacts on fish, birds, and ecosystems.
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The company is exploring smaller potential projects on several Utah lakes and reservoirs. For instance, ponds located around treatment plants and industrial sites would be easy wins. Canals are another area that could benefit from the panels' ability to slow evaporation.
The company is aiming much higher than that, however.
"There are no illusions that the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake aren't going to be difficult," Water Wise Solar Solution's representative Lee Addams revealed. "But those are also our biggest targets."
The big challenge will be ensuring that installations aren't harmful to the millions of birds that visit the bigger lakes annually. The areas are also major hubs for recreational activities like boating and waterskiing. There are also concerns around preserving the panels in the harsh, salty water conditions of Great Salt Lake.
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While it's clear there are many considerations to account for, it's exciting to see floating solar farms getting a long look from a bipartisan group of lawmakers. If done properly, the arrays could help combat severe threats to the lake while tapping into clean energy to resolve Utah's growing energy needs.
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