Floating Solar Panels Brave Canadian Winters with Novel Ice-Free System

As the demand for clean energy grows, researchers are exploring floating solar panels (FPV) for use on waterways, aiming to avoid conflicts with agriculture and nature conservation that arise with land-based solar farms. A new study published in Applied Energy demonstrates the efficacy of a specific FPV system in Canadian winter conditions.

A significant hurdle for solar deployment in cold climates is the potential for ice formation to damage floating structures. To address this, scientists at Western University designed a foam-backed FPV panel integrated with a novel air-bubbler system. They constructed a 7-kilowatt system and tested it on a stormwater pond in Ontario.

This system utilizes flexible solar panels attached to thick, waterproof foam sheets instead of traditional bulky plastic rafts, which offers reduced wind exposure. The ice mitigation strategy involves air lines placed beneath the panels. A shore-based pump sends bubbles from the pond's bottom upwards, bringing warmer water from deeper levels to the surface, thereby preventing ice buildup.

Over a year of continuous monitoring, the system, which covered approximately 3% of the pond, remained ice-free throughout winter. The air-bubbler system consumed minimal additional energy, ranging from 0.02% to 14.5% of the total annual energy yield. The system generated 7.7 megawatt-hours of electricity, outperforming a reference floating system by about 2.7% and also reducing water evaporation.

The researchers concluded that foam-based FPV is a promising and adaptable platform for renewable energy, highlighting its unique performance in icy environments. Their next steps involve testing the technology at a larger scale and on various types of water bodies.