Water Conservation Potential of Self-Funded Foam-Based Flexible Surface-Mounted Floatovoltaics

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A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
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Date

2020-12

Department

Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering

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Language

en

Pages

24

Series

Energies, Volume 13, issue 23

Abstract

A potential solution to the coupled water-energy-food challenges in land use is the concept of floating photovoltaics or floatovoltaics (FPV). In this study, a new approach to FPV is investigated using a flexible crystalline silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) module backed with foam, which is less expensive than conventional pontoon-based FPV. This novel form of FPV is tested experimentally for operating temperature and performance and is analyzed for water-savings using an evaporation calculation adapted from the Penman-Monteith model. The results show that the foam-backed FPV had a lower operating temperature than conventional pontoon-based FPV, and thus a 3.5% higher energy output per unit power. Therefore, foam-based FPV provides a potentially profitable means of reducing water evaporation in the world's at-risk bodies of fresh water. The case study of Lake Mead found that if 10% of the lake was covered with foam-backed FPV, there would be enough water conserved and electricity generated to service Las Vegas and Reno combined. At 50% coverage, the foam-backed FPV would provide over 127 TWh of clean solar electricity and 633.22 million m(3) of water savings, which would provide enough electricity to retire 11% of the polluting coal-fired plants in the U.S. and provide water for over five million Americans, annually.

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Keywords

water, floatovoltaic, photovoltaic, energy water nexus, dual use, water conservation, FPV, floating photovoltaic, solar energy, PHOTOVOLTAIC FLOATING COVER, SOLAR PANEL, PERFORMANCE, ELECTRICITY, IMPLEMENTATION, TEMPERATURE, EVAPORATION, GENERATION, RADIATION, RESERVOIR

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DOI

10.3390/en13236285

Citation

Hayibo, K S, Mayville, P, Kailey, R K & Pearce, J M 2020, 'Water Conservation Potential of Self-Funded Foam-Based Flexible Surface-Mounted Floatovoltaics', Energies, vol. 13, no. 23, 6285. https://doi.org/10.3390/en13236285

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202101271650

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[article-cris] Sähkötekniikan korkeakoulu / ELEC