Floating solar farms refer to solar panels installed on the surface of water bodies such as lakes and reservoirs, mainly used to save land space or provide electricity to remote areas. The main types of floating solar farms include:
Floating solar farms on lakes and reservoirs: This is the most common type, usually installed on the surface of larger water bodies, using the vast space of the water surface to arrange solar panels. For example, the giant floating solar farm on the Tengger Reservoir in Singapore has 122,000 floating solar panels, covering an area equivalent to 45 football fields.
Hybrid power generation projects: Some floating solar farms also combine other power generation methods to form a hybrid power generation system. For example, the floating solar farm in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand is a hybrid power generation project that combines solar and hydropower generation methods.
Floating farms in the sea: This type of floating farm not only installs solar photovoltaic panels, but may also contain other facilities. For example, the floating farm built by the Netherlands in the waters near the Port of Rotterdam is divided into two layers, with solar photovoltaic panels on the top of the upper layer and transparent glass walls on the other four sides.
These different types of floating solar farms vary in design and application, but the common goal is to use water-rich areas to install solar panels to save land space and achieve sustainable energy supply.