Floating solar solutions are coming to the UK, with several companies and projects leading the charge. Floating Solar UK, a subsidiary of Ciel et Terre International, supplies the Hydrelio system in the UK, offering a new, reliable, and cost-effective solution to turn bodies of water into solar power plants while conserving land and water. NP Solar also provides and installs floating solar panels across the UK.
Notably, Europe’s largest floating solar panel array was funded and completed in March 2016 by Lightsource bp on London’s Queen Elizabeth II reservoir. This project, located near Walton-on-Thames, features more than 23,000 solar panels and has a capacity of 6.3MW. BayWa r.e. highlights that floating solar systems can help profit from otherwise underused bodies of water, such as coal quarries, mineral extraction pits, hydro dams, etc.
The technology has the potential to significantly contribute to the UK’s green energy targets and enhance the security and resilience of energy. Companies like HydroSolar share the dream of a regenerative future where resources are renewable and sustainable. SolarDuck aims to accelerate the growth of offshore floating solar energy by deploying over 1 GW annually from 2030 onwards.
Ciel & Terre provides complete, ready-to-use floating solar solutions to make projects a reality. The UK government is aiming for a fivefold increase in solar capacity by 2035, and floating solar panels could be part of the future of clean energy.
More than 65% of Europe’s floating solar capacity is located in the UK, which hosts the highest number of projects (Solar Plaza). RWE has taken a major step towards realizing its first solar farms in the UK, with seven projects representing 330 megawatts (MW). Scotland is also getting in on the action, with Scotland’s first floating solar demonstrator set to be launched in 2023.
The potential for floating solar in the UK is vast. Pager Power notes that by utilizing the 10 largest reservoirs in the UK, floating photovoltaics (FPVs) could have a peak capacity of 6,804 MW. As technology continues to advance and more projects come online, floating solar is poised to play a major role in helping the UK meet its green energy targets.