Thursday 11 June 2020

Dutch water supplier switches on floating solar park to cover its electricity needs

Netherlands will soon switch a new 1.62MW floating solar park, which is expected to cover around 15% of the electricity demand of water supplier Evides Waterbedrijf.

The plant will be installed in one of the company's water reservoirs.

Evides Waterbedrijf estimates the project of 4,787 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels will have an annual power generation of 1.7 million kWh.

This is the equivalent of the energy consumption of 650 households.

The firm says the facility will lead to research about algae growth, the spread of bacteria from bird droppings, reduced UV radiation on the water and the impact of the wind.

The company notes: "It is essential the water quality in the reservoir remains good."

It will also investigate the possibility of installing more floating solar plants on its other reservoirs as it estimates it could fulfill 100% of its electricity demands by deploying solar panels on 30% of the water surfaces it manages.

Four years earlier, Thames Water installed in London what is claimed to be 'Europe's biggest floating solar panel array'.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZsSa6sdJd4