Sunny waters: meeting our energy, water and climate mitigation needs with floating solar

Increasing resource and energy productivity is central to the Industrial Strategy. Delivering to the investing in science, research and innovation; developing skills; upgrading infrastructure, supporting business to start and grow; delivering affordable energy and clean growth; and cultivating world-leading sectors pillars.

Floating solar is a means to increase energy production efficiency as water mounted systems produce more energy and, if deployed with a direct wire, reduce transmission losses. Consequently, UK water reservoirs are an excellent location given the high energy demands to treat and move water. However, deployment is hampered by limited understanding of the impacts on water quality.

The UK is an early adopter of this technology and no knowledge of the impacts of floating solar exists globally. Consequently, in addition to delivering to the clean energy and infrastructure pillars, this project will support businesses to start and grow and cultivate a sector to be world-leading. Given the global potential of floating solar this will highlight NERC science globally and establish UK business at the forefront of the global development of this virtuous means of solar energy deployment employment.