A new study has found that floating photovoltaic (FPV) technology, which involves placing solar panels on bodies of water, has the potential to supply the entire electricity demand for several African countries.

The study “Decarbonisation potential of floating solar photovoltaics on lakes worldwide”, conducted by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Bangor and Lancaster Universities, indicates that Ethiopia, Rwanda, Benin, and Togo could potentially meet their entire electricity demand solely through FPV.

The study also identifies other regions where FPV could meet a significant portion or all of the electricity demand, including countries like Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, and Bolivia in the Caribbean, South America, and Central Asia.

Researchers conducted the study to comprehend and measure the technology’s potential by analysing over 68 000 water bodies worldwide.

They found that simulated annual power output varied geographically based on factors such as altitude, latitude, and season, ranging from 1 250 kWh in Northern Europe to 2500 kWh in regions like South America, the Andean Mountains, and the Western United States. The study estimated a total potential annual electricity generation of 1 302 TWh.

The technology offers benefits such as freeing up land use, keeping solar panels cooler to enhance efficiency, and potentially reducing water loss through evaporation and limiting light to mitigate algal blooms, although further research in this area is needed.

“We advocate close collaboration among energy and environment researchers, engineers and manufacturers so that any potential impacts are factored in during the design of future deployments. This would enable us to maximise the potential of these technologies and safeguard against impacts on water quality and biodiversity,” said Steve Thackeray, Lake Ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.