A wastewater treatment plant in Australia will use floating solar photovoltaic panels to decrease evaporation and to increase energy. The water cools the panels, allowing them to last longer and work at greater efficiency. The panels will cover 90% of the water surface, cutting down on evaporation. Wow. A double win. Let’s hope this technology spreads to water treatment panels everywhere and maybe even to reservoirs.
The solar panels are supported by buoyant polyethelene pipe and steel pontoons and construction is not all that different from rooftop solar.