China builds the world’s largest floating solar power plant

Many of us may be well versed with floating wind turbines, but what about floating solar panels? Most of the Earth’s surface area is covered in water, so it makes sense to utilize that area to collect energy. Offshore wind turbines are already operating in both shallow and deep seas around the world, but so far a similar concept has not been extensively applied to solar energy collection. However, that could soon change, with the recent unveiling of the world’s largest floating solar farm in China.

While the United States of America under Donald Trump has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, Asian superpower China is marching towards emission reduction as well as renewable energy commitments. The world’s biggest floating solar power plant has been made operational in Huainan city, Eastern China. The 40-MW plant is situated on a reservoir and is in close proximity to the city. Offshore from Huainan, the plant has been successfully connected with the power grid. Being offshore, it does not take up space and uses less energy than solar farms as seawater acts as a coolant.

Sungrow, the world’s leading photovoltaic system supplier, has set up the plant. Floating solar power plants can be set up on water bodies such as lakes and seas, particularly near cities where land availability is less.

The impressive array, which consists of 160,000 panels, is buoyant upon a lake that emerged after the collapse of a coal mine. It’s an appropriate symbol for China’s changing energy policies; the nation is projected to get 20 percent of its power consumption from low-emission energy, including nuclear, by 2030.

It also comes at an ominous time, after the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. China already leads the world in clean energy investment, and now it has the chance to take up the top leadership position in the fight against climate change. At least, it’s an opportunity that China has been given an open door to seize.

China faces massive air pollution

China, the most populated country on the globe is facing high degrees of air pollution, which is estimated to kill 1.1 million people annually in the country. A major reason for air pollution in China is emissions from automobiles, power plants and factories. The plant will push China towards becoming what some call a green superpower. Solar power is fast becoming key component of the Chinese strategy, as similar projects keep coming up all over China.

China is shutting down polluting factories and thermal power plants. In March, the country cancelled plans of constructing 103 new thermal plants (combined capacity 120 GW). It has also started promoting electric vehicles as well as renewable energy substantially. India can learn a lot from how the Chinese are marching ahead on the road to clean and green energy.

Global warming, climate change, pollution at alarming levels

Global warming, climate change and environmental degradation confront mankind, although it’s another matter that US President Donald Trump trashes all evidence and has pulled the USA out of the Paris Climate Accord. NASA—also part of the United States—figures point out globally temperatures have increased by over 1 degree since 1880; also, 9 out of the 10 hottest years occurred after 2000. By 2012, Arctic ice shrank to the lowest level. Internationally, sea levels are going up at 3.4 mm per year. It is just a matter of time before human habitation, particularly in the coastal areas, starts getting submerged.

Final thoughts

Floating solar farms are just part of a growing portfolio of clean tech solutions for the climate crisis. The onus might now fall on individual U.S. states and cities to step up their investments in these technologies if the U.S. wants to keep pace with China.