The potential for using expanses of water to host solar power systems is continuing to be explored – in this instance, by an Italian company.
Scienza Industria Tecnologia is developing the Floating Tracking Cooling Concentrator (FTCC) System; created for use on small basins and lakes.
The FTCC system is made up of floating platforms with solar panels supported by a polyethylene tube structure. Systems can range in capacity from 20kW to 200kW.
With heat being an enemy of solar panels in terms of conversion efficiency, the panels are cooled by surrounding water sprayed over the modules, boosting efficiency by 10%.
Trials are being conducted with different reflector arrangements – a single reflector per module in one design and in another, reflectors are positioned on both sides of the panels to increase the amount of sunlight they receive .
The tracking system will utilise motors to rotate the moored rafts into a position where the panels can harvest the most energy. Scienza Industria Tecnologia says simulations and measurements of wind load and structural forces show the forces involved are very low due to the way the platforms have been designed.
While the supporting platform and cooling, tracking and reflector systems add to the cost, around € 800 per kW, the company states this is compensated for by the increase in the annual energy yield.
Several pilot systems are being tested in Pisa and Suvereto in Italy and in Korea.
With water covering over 70% of our planet, it makes sense to be utilising some this vast area not just for offshore wind farms, but solar electricity generation too. Even farm dams could be utilised to generate power for farm operations rather than perhaps take up valuable agricultural land.
Other floating solar power systems we’ve reported on in the past include the Floating Concentrating Photovoltaic (F-CPV) system, Floatovoltaics and the Liquid Solar Array (LSA).
