Title:	Floating Photovoltaics: A SWOT Analysis
Author(s):	S. Moghadam, H.E. Hayati Soloot, A. Hayati Soloot, A. Jadhav
Keywords:	Floating PV, Photovoltaic (PV), Offshore PV, PV System and Grid Connected, Distributed PV Plant
Topic:	PV Applications, Integration and Storage
Subtopic:	PV in Infrastructure, on Water and on Vehicles; PV and Agriculture
Event:	38th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
Session:	6CV.4.30
Pages:	1551 - 1564
ISBN:	3-936338-78-7
Paper DOI:	10.4229/EUPVSEC20212021-6CV.4.30
Price:	0,00 EUR
Document(s):	paper, poster

Abstract/Summary:

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Floating Photovoltaics (FPV) is a Photovoltaic (PV) based energy generation approach on water surfaces, to mitigate the solar energy high land-use footprint issue. Since 2007, the technology and industry have come a long way with a cumulative installed capacity of 1.9 GWp by 2019. This article has studied and analyzed the current status and future directions of this technology with a SWOT analysis, by reviewing scientific articles and industrial reports. Additionally, technology evolutions are addressed such as moving FPV structures from man-made still-water reservoirs to near- and offshore open seas. The technology is gaining popularity due to its potentials such as resolving green energy land usage footprint, energy security, local geographically-free energy generation, innovative business models enabler, fast deployment, and providing a solution to socio-political and community acceptance issues. Additionally, the technology has extreme potentials to meet global electricity demand by only utilizing 51.5% of the global man-made reservoirs (excluding huge potentials of near-shore and offshore applications). Finally challenges and mitigation for topics such as lack of good practices and standards for material choice due to immature technology, possible fresh water source contamination and effects on eco-system are discussed. However, these are rapidly changing as the technology and industry matures.