Floating Solar Power Plant Pilot Project Given Go Ahead in India
You've no doubt heard of offshore wind power, how about offshore solar power? Well, Australian solar power company Sunengy would like you to, or at least floating solar power--announcing that it has partnered with India's Tata Power to build a pilot project for a floating solar power plant there. Via New Kerala.com:
Construction of the pilot plant in India will commence in August this year...Sunergy plans to set up a larger [Liquid Solar Array] in the NSW Hunter Valley in middle of 2012 before going into full production.
Here's how Sunergy touts the benefits of its liquid solar array technology:
The LSA uses traditional Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) technology - a lens and a small area of solar cells that tracks the sun throughout the day, like a sunflower. Floating the LSA on water reduces the need for expensive supporting structures to protect it from high winds. The lenses submerge in bad weather and the water also cools the cells which increases their efficiency and life-span.
More on Solar Power:
It's Finally Official - India's National Solar Mission Aims for 20 Gigawatts Solar Power by 2022
Italy Installing More Solar Power in Two Months Than California Does in a Year