Giant solar-powered floating flowers provide clean energy to over 60,000 people

Floating solar panels on the surface of the Hapcheon Dam in South Korea. According to Hanwha Solutions, the project could generate enough energy to power 20,000 homes. (Credit: Song Joong Cho)

The total land area of ​​South Korea is small. Instead of clearing existing real estate for renewable energy projects, 92,000 plum blossom-shaped solar panels now float on the gently swaying surface of the Hapcheon Dam reservoir in Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang Province.

The solar project at the 17-mile-long reservoir in Hapcheon is capable of generating 41.5 megawatts, enough to power 60,000 people—more than the entire population of the county.

It is one of the largest floating solar plants in the world and is in a country that is lagging behind in the development of renewable energy, although South Korea’s industrialized economy relies heavily on imported fossil fuels.

South Korean President Moon-jae also believes that floating solar panels could help his country become carbon neutral by 2050 by adding 9.4 gigawatts, or the equivalent of nine nuclear reactors, to the power grid.

Kim Jisok, a climate and energy specialist at Greenpeace Korea, also believes that South Korea needs massive amounts of renewable energy to meet its climate goals, and that floating solar panels could be part of the solution.

Connecting photovoltaic solar panels to water sources such as canals, ground level moisture or reservoirs increases their efficiency by as much as 10% as the surrounding water helps them stay naturally cooler.

Similar stories:

Floating projects usually benefit from an easier connection to the grid, either through an existing line from a hydroelectric plant or because the reservoir is close to an urban area. Photovoltaic panels can also help limit algae blooms, and water helps keep panels cool in hot climates, increasing their efficiency.

However, their construction is more expensive. Due to the need for floats, moorings and more resilient electrical components, floating systems are considered to be about 18% more expensive than land-based systems, according to the World Bank.

The reservoir at the Hapcheon Dam is now managed by the state-owned Korea Water Resources Corp., and when a floating power plant was proposed, local residents were able to invest.

The panels are arranged in the form of flowers to make the site more attractive. (Credit: Scotra)

About 1,400 residents collectively invested 3.1 billion won ($2.6 million), or about 4% of the total cost, expecting to earn a 10% annual return over 20 years. The community asked for panels in the form of flowers to make the site more attractive.

The facility is the largest floating photovoltaic power plant and was built using Q.Peak Duo Poseidon modules provided by South Korean manufacturer Hanwha Q-Cells and floating structures supplied by the company. South Korean specialist in floating photovoltaic systems Scotra. Arrays specially adapted for water provide greater resistance to humidity and heat, according to the company.

The 41-megawatt floating solar panels near the Hapcheon Dam in Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang Province began operating in November 2021. (SUPPLIED: Ministry of the Environment)

Scotra previously built Floating solar power plant with a capacity of 25 MW on a reservoir in Goheung County, in the South Korean province of Jeollanam, and on a 500 kW pilot floating plant at the Hapcheon Dam itself.

Shin Hyunseob, general manager of Hanwha Solutions, sees huge potential in the global floating solar market as more countries adopt the technology. “We hope to export the modules,” he said.

For more science news, visit our New Innovations section at The bright side of the news.

Note: Content courtesy of The Brighter Side of News. Content can be edited for style and length.

Do you like such pleasant stories? Get Brighter Side of News Newsletter.