Global Floating Solar Capacity Surpasses 1GW

World-wide floating solar capacity has grown from 10 MW in 2014 to 1.1 GW in 2018

This year marks a huge milestone for global sustainability efforts for the entire globe. We have been witnessing the birth of an entirely new sector for renewable energy – floating solar, or FPV. A few days ago, the global installed capacity of FPV surpassed 1 GW(p). While FPV still has a long way to go before catching up to land-based PV installations, it is clear that more and more are seeing the benefits of taking advantage of unused “land” on water, and the natural cooling effect that water brings to the table in terms of increased efficiency.

The World Bank Group has released a market report showing that during the first 6 months of 2018, more than 500 MW of FPV capacity was installed, almost 50% of the global total! Furthermore, WBG states, the most conservative estimate of floating solar’s overall global potential based on available man-made water surfaces exceeds 400 GW. This is close to the total capacity of all solar photovoltaic installations in the world at the end of 2017.

The report explains that floating solar can also complement existing hydropower infrastructure to create a synergy effect. For example, covering only 3-4 percent of a reservoir with floating solar panels can double the electricity generation capacity of the dam.

For several years, Seaflex has been one of the top choices for mooring FPV installations, primarily due to our ability to tailor the mooring system to site-specific needs. This enables Seaflex to handle hurricane-strength winds, massive waves, currents, and water level variations. We are very proud to be part of this growing market!

If you want to learn more about why Seaflex is the best choice for mooring any type of FPV application, please read more here.