A groundbreaking study by Bangor and Lancaster Universities, along with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, reveals that floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) panels could supply all the electricity needs of some countries. By analyzing data from nearly 68,000 lakes and reservoirs worldwide, researchers calculated that FPV could generate 1302 terawatt hours (TWh) annually—four times the UK’s total annual electricity demand.
FPV offers numerous advantages over land-based solar installations, including freeing up land for other uses, enhancing panel efficiency by keeping them cooler, and potentially reducing water loss and algal blooms. However, further research is needed to understand the full environmental impact.
The study highlights that countries like Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, and Rwanda could meet their entire electricity needs from FPV, with many others close behind. Even in Europe, Finland could meet 17% of its demand with FPV.
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