Will Floating Solar mitigate both greenhouse gas emissions and global water quality decline?
By: Anne Kania
Tags: Climate Change, Clean Water, Water Damage Restoration, Clean Energy, Solar Energy

It can, if it has the will.

Water has gone under the radar for too long as a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Even the EPA fails to mention it as a source of GHG. Yet an important study, published in 2018, has revised upwards previous estimates of the global impact of lakes and water on the atmosphere and sounds a warning call to clean up our act before water quality declines even further — and our climate with it.

Floating Solar has a terrific opportunity to mitigate two major environmental threats at the same time: greenhouse gas emissions and declining global water quality

Scientists have for some years agreed that lakes and other freshwater sources contribute the equivalent of 20% of global fossil fuel emissions. It is now clear that methane is the leading constituent, and methane is produced by eutrophic lakes — lakes that have more nutrients in them than they can handle. Methane is now understood to account for 75% of the total GHG emissions from water, a far larger proportion than previously thought, and it is far more detrimental to the atmosphere than CO2 or nitrous oxide.

The new study’s authors conclude that “even moderate” increases in eutrophication could translate to 5–40% increases in the greenhouse gas effects on the atmosphere, adding the equivalent effect of another 13% of fossil fuel combustion.

​But, the rate of eutrophication is anything but moderate. Harmful Algae Blooms are an indicator of this and they are increasing at an alarming rate.

​Methane emissions correlate with lake size and the level of eutrophication the lake experiences. Methane is more prevalent in lakes with oxygen-poor, carbon-rich environments that experience algae blooms. The authors of the 2018 study noted the possibility that one particular form of carbon is more readily turned to methane (CH4). Therefore, they argue, ongoing eutrophication is a key factor in the increase of global methane production.

It is clear from scientific evidence and global modeling that we have to take care of our water, not just for the sake of our water — which is after all the number one resource on the planet — but also our climate. Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) often become toxic, causing illness and even death to humans and our pets who may drink the water. HABs deprive water of oxygen, driving out air-breathers, like fish, and becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes. If this is not a compelling enough reason to care, how about the effects on climate change in addition?

One problem with treating HABs is they tend to happen on large lakes, which historically has made treatment prohibitively expensive. There has been no easy way to off-set the costs with any kind of return. But this is changing.

Floating Solar is now “a thing” — a big thing, actually, particularly in parts of the world where developable land is at a premium. There is real estate available on water impoundments that makes housing solar panels cheaper than on land. Floating Solar / Floating PV is the fastest growing area of the solar industry. As such, it presents great opportunities but it has to be careful.

Humans have a history of using water without taking care of it. Think of how we flush sewage and just about everything else down the drain without a second thought, until recently (perhaps). The water that supports floating photovoltaic panels has to be stewarded as well. And therein lies the greatest opportunity water has ever had to be truly taken care of.

A solution for water problems has to be on a large scale, and the size of the solution is only affordable if there is some kind of revenue generation possible. Floating PV (FPV) has such an opportunity. Still in its infancy, FPV is only allowed to operate on man-made impoundments where the risk of environmental damage is contained. But what if there were a platform that could be used to support FPV and clean the water at the same time?

Companies like mine (waterrr.co and floatingislandinternational.com) are producing a platform (floating islands) that have a twelve-year track record in water quality improvement, dealing with the exact problems that cause methane emissions if left untreated. Imagine what they could do for lakes if they were used as a floating solar platform? Clean energy + clean water and virtually double the reduction in fossil-fuel combustion equivalent.

There is a terrific opportunity right now to really make a difference. Pond owners, lake managers — let’s talk! Solar providers and clean energy companies — let’s talk! Let’s make a difference to our two sources of life on our planet — air and water — at the same time and keep it habitable for humans for generations to come.