Floating Solar Arrays

Floating solar arrays ("floatovoltaics") are an emerging approach to solar installations. They can cover up to 30 percent of lakes or reservoirs, producing power while reducing evaporation and algae blooms. These arrays also stay cooler than land-based arrays, reducing the cost of energy generation. Floating solar arrays are already in active use at Fort Bragg in the U.S., the Netherlands, and at much larger scales in China and South Korea. In September 2024, Summit County, Utah, completed a floating solar farm to cut energy costs for water treatment. Research estimates that floatovoltaics could supply 10 percent of current U.S. energy needs.

Floating solar arrays offer advantages for land conservation and efficiency. Though large-scale use of floating arrays may cause unforeseen damage to local ecosystems in natural lakes, there is significant potential for their use in reservoirs. Like other forms of renewable energy, the growth of this technology would likely lead to local conflicts around the use of natural areas for these installations. Planners should be aware of the benefits and concerns of floating solar arrays and how they can incorporate them into sustainable development.