The field of floating solar energy systems is still fairly new, but it's steadily progressing, as evidenced by French firm Ciel and Terre.
According to a report by CleanTechnica, the company has devised a scaled-up floating solar energy system with a pyramid-inspired structure and a unique maintenance service utilizing specialized catamarans.
The U.S. began embracing floating solar panels a few years back, so you might be familiar with these panels that rest on bodies of water, such as reservoirs and lakes. Placing solar panels on water helps bring solar energy to more rural areas without disrupting native habitats or occupying vital farmland.
Ciel and Terre has long been a leader in the industry. Seven years ago, the company completed a 252-kilowatt floating solar energy system at a waterworks in California, while the following year, it started another project at a California wastewater treatment plant. Following that was a 4.4-megawatt project at a New Jersey reservoir, planned to be the largest floating solar energy system in the U.S. and Canada.
Recently, though, Ciel and Terre revealed a new design for its floating structures — the Fusio. The company designed the Fusio specifically for large-scale projects and went with a substructure inspired by the pyramids, which allows it to utilize almost any solar panel on the market.
According to CleanTechnica, the company explained that the pyramid "is the most stable and simplest geometric shape to build to resist external forces."
The design offers additional benefits, too. Besides the structural durability it ensures, the company explained that by raising the elevation of the panels, airflow is improved, which helps to cool the panels when needed. This cooling enhances the efficiency of solar conversion in hotter climates.
Additionally, the company designed the Fusio to reduce manufacturing and transportation costs. Even better, the design reduces the risks to workers. Whereas, with other designs, workers must carry heavy items around and walk on the floating solar energy system, with the Fusio, specialized catamarans navigate directly where they need to go, offering safer and faster access to every inch of the system.
Of course, the Fusio will offer benefits to those relying on the solar panels, too, in the form of communities and residents saving money while receiving more reliability than a controlled energy grid. Plus, because solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy, nearby areas will enjoy reduced pollution, as well as fewer pollution-related health issues.
Ciel and Terre isn't the only one making waves, though. German firm Sinn Power recently developed a first-of-its-kind design, a vertical floating photovoltaic system, marking a new milestone for clean energy on inland waterways.
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Absolutely 👍 With the system's verticality, power generation is optimized with a minimized surface area, making it ideal for bodies of water that are home to aquatic habitats and recreational activities.
Thus far, the newly designed solar energy system, installed in a gravel pit, has reduced the gravel operation's reliance on the electrical grid by nearly 60%.
CleanTechnica reported that Offshore Energy explained, "According to SINN Power, this setup supports steady power generation throughout the day and enhances output during morning and evening hours when conventional PV systems generate less electricity."
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