ABB on the Incredible Potential of Floating Solar Farms
They are ranged on the water like a flotilla of futuristic aircraft carriers.
And these remarkable floating solar power arrays are becoming increasingly crucial in the global energy transition, with one estimate predicting the market will be worth US$43bn by 2030.
Known colloquially as ‘floatovoltaics’, ABB says this one – Indonesia’s Cirata array – is an “example to other global economies” wanting to boost their clean energy production.
How the pricing landscape is changing
ABB says olar power generation is well established and its installation costs have decreased by 90% over the past decade.
Although FPV technology is more expensive than land-based solar, costs are also expected to drop sharply as adoption becomes more widespread.
According to the journal Nature, covering 10% of global hydropower reserves with floating solar panels could produce as much electricity as all of the world’s fossil fuel plants combined
Ken Yap, Commercial Vice President, ABB Electrification Indonesia, is certain of their potential.
He says: “We are proud to be part of this project, which is not only strategically important for Indonesia but also sets an example for other global economies that are looking to bolster their decarbonisation plans with floating solar technology.”
Why are floating solar farms growing in popularity?
The clean-energy potential of floating photovoltaics (FPVs) is becoming increasingly apparent, leading to more widespread adoption of the technology since the turn of the decade, says ABB.
This growth is down to the advantages of FPVs, including:
- Efficient land use: no requirement to acquire land
- Enhanced energy mix: complements existing renewables, including hydropower, when located at reservoir dams
- Improved performance: water-based siting enables easier cooling of PV panels
- Water conservation: reduction in evaporation.
Spotlight on Indonesia
Indonesia, the largest economy in south-east Asia and the 7th largest in the world by GDP, has identified floating solar as a technology with the potential to help meet its goal of achieving 23% renewable power generation by 2025 and 31% by 2050.
Working examples include the 250-hectare floating solar farm on the Cirata Reservoir in West Java, approximately 100km from the capital, Jakarta.
Cirata is a collaboration between the Indonesian government and the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy group Masdar.
The plant is helping to supply reliable, clean energy to 50,000 Indonesian homes. Its panels generate 192MW of clean energy, making it the world’s third largest, with the potential to avoid 214,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
A further 60 floating PV installations are being planned in Indonesia, as the country seeks to tap the potential of its 100 reservoirs and 521 lakes.
How is ABB helping?
ABB worked with on-site engineers to install, test and commission medium-voltage switchgear during phase one of the Cirata project.
Its work included providing 17 units of MV primary AIS UniGear ZS1 with Relion protection relays to control, protect and isolate the electrical equipment and ensure the reliability of the electricity supply.
It also supplied Relion REF 615 feeder protection and control relays to increase safety, as they can be remotely operated and controlled.
The array has 340,000 PV panels and cost an estimated US$100m to construct.
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