Flotation Is the Next Big Thing in Energy Production

There’s a growing international trend in energy production: make it float.

Perhaps the most novel project type is the floating nuclear power plant. China General Nuclear (CGN), China’s largest nuclear operator, announced earlier this month that it expects to start operating a small modular offshore reactor by 2020.

Construction of the ACPR50S demonstration project is expected to begin next year, having recently been approved by China's National Development and Reform Commission as part of the country’s 13th Five-Year Plan. China plans to build 300 gigawatts of nuclear capacity over the next 10 to 20 years, with seven nuclear reactors coming on-line each year through 2030.

The 200-megawatt floating reactor is designed to supply electricity, heat and desalination, and could be used to supply power to remote coastal areas or deepwater oil and gas rigs. It could also prove useful in the event of a natural disaster. China sees the project as a significant piece of its domestic policy. According to the CGN press release, marine nuclear power platforms are being built to “play an important role in the implementation of the strategy of strong marine power.”

There are several logistical advantages to a waterborne nuclear plant, besides mobility. Theoretically at least, there are few siting concerns and a very low environmental impact. Also, building the plant at a shipyard is expected to bring efficiencies and cost savings, and once in operation, seawater can conveniently be used for cooling.

But at the same time, floating nuclear power has its drawbacks. Access to personnel and equipment is a challenge. And while nuclear is a low-carbon energy source, the possibility of radioactive material leaking into the sea presents health and environmental risks.

China’s ACPR50S won’t be the world’s first floating nuclear power plant. The Russian company Baltiysky Zavod has already started construction on the Akademik Lomonosov, a barge equipped with two 35-megawatt reactors similar to those used in submarines. The project is scheduled to be delivered to the Russian nuclear power plant operator Rosenergoatom in September, and could start operating in the Chukotka region as early as 2017.

Meanwhile, construction on the world’s largest floating solar project is getting underway.

In Japan, Kyocera Corp. and Century Tokyo Leasing Corp. and have started building a 13.7-megawatt floating solar plant on the Yamakura Dam reservoir near Tokyo. The plant is scheduled for launch in March 2018.

The Yamakura Dam project has grown in scale since it was first announced in 2014. The array will generate an estimated 16,170 megawatt-hours of electricity per year (up from the initial estimate of 15,635 megawatt-hours), which is enough to power nearly 5,000 typical households.

In 2015, the Kyocera TCL Solar joint venture launched three floating solar projects sized 1.7 megawatts, 1.2 megawatts and 2.3 megawatts, respectively. Japan is an ideal location for floating solar because space is limited and there are numerous inland waterways used for agricultural and flood-control purposes.

Floating solar is also a growing trend in the U.S. Last March, Sonoma Clean Power signed a contract to build a 12.5-megawatt "floatovoltaic" project -- the largest floating solar project in the U.S. and the second-largest in the world after the Yamakura Dam array.

Wind projects are now floating, too. Following successful testing of a 2-megawatt floating turbine developed by WindFloat, a consortium of companies announced plans this month to deploy a 25-megawatt offshore wind project by 2018.

The new wind park, located roughly 12 miles off the Portuguese coast at Viana do Castelo, is being developed by Principle Power Inc., EDP Renewables, Mitsubishi Corporation (through its subsidiary Diamond Generating Europe), and the Chinese Chiyoda Corporation (through its subsidiary Chiyoda Generating Europe).

The chief benefit of a floating wind farm is that it can be set up farther away from shore, where the water is too deep for bottom-mounted systems. This reduces the likelihood of interference with shipping routes and fishing, as well as addressing concerns over visual pollution. Wind is also stronger and more consistent over the open ocean.

The Norwegian energy giant Statoil started testing the first-ever floating wind project in 2009, and since then has reportedly reduced costs by 60 percent. Last November, the company announced it will build a five-turbine, 30-megawatt floating wind farm off the shore of Scotland by late 2017, which will become the first commercial-scale project of its kind.

Not to be left out, there’s also floating equipment for oil and gas production: floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. Depleted onshore oil and gas reserves are pushing companies to explore for energy resources at sea. High upfront costs are likely to temper the adoption of FPSOs, but at the same time, there are high costs and technical risks associated with fixed platforms, which could ultimately drive up demand for floating systems.

In 2012, the FPSO market was valued at $12.6 billion. According to a new report by Transparency Market Research, the FPSO market is expected to grow by just over 17 percent between 2013 to 2019, when the market will reach $38.7 billion.

Exxon Mobil Corp., Statoil, DNV GL and others are exploring ways to use floating wind to power oil and gas production, similar to how China plans to support oil and gas operations with an aquatic nuclear power plant. A technical analysis on the potential for waterborne wind to serve the oil and gas industry is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2016.

KYOCERA TCL Solar Begins Construction on 13.7MW Floating Solar Power Plant

Article published on www.businesswire.com, in January 22nd, 2016

KYOTO, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a joint venture, Kyocera Corporation (herein “Kyocera,”) and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation (herein “Century Tokyo Leasing”) announced today that Kyocera TCL Solar LLC (herein “Kyocera TCL Solar”) has started construction of the world’s largest*1 13.7 megawatt (MW) floating solar power plant on the Yamakura Dam reservoir, managed by the Public Enterprises Agency of Chiba Prefecture in Japan for industrial water services.

Scheduled for launch in FY2018 (fiscal year ending March 31, 2018), the plant will be comprised of approximately 51,000 Kyocera modules installed over a fresh water surface area of 180,000m2. The project will generate an estimated 16,170 megawatt hours (MWh) per year — enough electricity to power approximately 4,970 typical households*2 — while offsetting about 8,170 tons*3 of CO2 emissions annually. This is equal to 19,000 barrels of oil consumed*4.

The project was initiated in October 2014, when the Public Enterprises Agency of Chiba Prefecture publicly sought companies to construct and operate a floating solar power plant to help reduce environmental impact.

With the decrease in tracts of land suitable for utility-scale solar power plants in Japan due to the rapid implementation of solar power, Kyocera TCL Solar has been developing floating solar power plants since 2014, which utilize Japan’s abundant water surfaces of reservoirs for agricultural and flood-control purposes. The company began operation of 1.7MW and 1.2MW plants in March 2015 followed by the launch of a 2.3MW plant in June. With Kyocera Communication Systems Co., Ltd. responsible for construction and Kyocera Solar Corporation undertaking O&M (operation and maintenance) of these projects, the Kyocera Group is cultivating the technology and expertise to construct, operate and maintain floating solar power plants.

Project Overview
Location		Yamakura Dam (Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan)
Operation		Kyocera TCL Solar LLC
Output		Approx. 13.7MW
Solar modules		270-watt Kyocera modules (50,904 modules in total)
Expected annual power generation		Approx. 16,170MWh/year Electricity generated is planned to be sold to Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated
Construction timeline		Start of construction: December 2015 Planned launch: FY2018 (fiscal year ending March 31, 2018)
Design & construction		KYOCERA Communication Systems Co., Ltd.
Maintenance		KYOCERA Solar Corporation

Company Overview
Company name		Kyocera TCL Solar LLC
Location		Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Shareholders		Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation (81%) Kyocera Corporation (19%)
Established		August 2012
Business outline		To sell power produced from solar power generation

*1 World’s largest floating solar power plant in terms of output. Claim is based on research by Kyocera TCL Solar LLC (as of January 15, 2016) of projects currently under construction and in operation.
*2 Based on average annual use of 3,254.4kWh per household. Source: Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (Graphical Flip-chart of Nuclear & Energy Related Topics 2015)
*3 Based on calculations derived from JPEA (Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association) standards
*4 Based on calculations derived from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator

About KYOCERA

Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO)(TOKYO:6971) (http://global.kyocera.com/), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as “advanced ceramics”). By combining these engineered materials with metals and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of solar power generating systems, mobile phones, printers, copiers, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2015, the company’s net sales totaled 1.53 trillion yen (approx. USD12.7 billion). Kyocera appears on the latest listing of the “Top 100 Global Innovators” by Thomson Reuters, and is ranked #552 on Forbes magazine’s 2015 “Global 2000” listing of the world’s largest publicly traded companies.

About Century Tokyo Leasing

Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation (TOKYO:8439) was launched in 2009 through the merger of the former Century Leasing System, Inc. and the former Tokyo Leasing Co., Ltd. Century Tokyo Leasing is one of the leading companies in the industry, operating in four business segments, Equipment Leasing, Specialty Financing (including environmental and energy business), Automobile Financing and International Business. Century Tokyo Leasing enjoys the support of a strong line-up of shareholders, including Mizuho Financial Group and ITOCHU Corporation. As of the year ended March 31, 2015, the company's consolidated operating assets reached total of 2.9 trillion yen (approx. USD24.2 billion), and the company's market capitalization stood at 390billion yen (approx. USD3.2 billion).

Contacts

KYOCERA Corporation (Japan)
Hina Morioka, +81-(0)75-604-3416
Corporate Communications
Fax: +81-(0)75-604-3516
E-Mail: webmaster.pressgl@kyocera.jp
Website: http://global.kyocera.com/
or
Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation
Takeshi Matsubara, +81-(0)3-5209-6710
Investor Relations Office
E-Mail: contact_e@ctl.co.jp
Website: http://www.ctl.co.jp/english/

Brazil's Chesf to install 5-MW floating PV system in Bahia - report

Article published in November 9th on www.renewables.seenews.com 

Brazilian power utility Chesf and Pernambuco's Federal University (UFPE) will build a 5-MW solar floating system in the Sobradinho reservoir, Bahia, local news portal Jornal do Commercio reported on Sunday.

Some BRL 50 million (USD 13m/EUR 12.2m) will be invested in the project through the Research, Development and Innovation Programme.

By December 15, the company responsible for the installation of solar panels will be hired. The first 1 MW of the system should be finalised within seven to eight months from December.

Apart from producing clean electricity, the solar panels will help reduce the evaporation in the reservoir, says Chesf's Director of Engineering and Construction, Antonio Varejao, as quoted by Jornal do Commercio. One of the goals of the project is to study the impact of solar panels on the reservoir volumes, temperature and humidity.

Similar installations have already been completed in China, India, Japan and other countries.

For more information about floating solar benefits, please check www.cieletterre.net 

New installation in Israël for Floating Solar PV

You can find more information at : www.cieletterre.net about the Hydrelio(c) system used in the video

Can Solar In India Change The World?

Article published on www.cleantechnica.com , in August 20th, 2015

The Indian solar story is much bigger than the story of one country and one technology. It is one of those game-changing developments that will have an impact on many aspects of our lives, around the globe.

It is the opportunity of a lifetime for India, for the global energy industry, and for the climate. Here is why:

A Lifetime Opportunity for Indians

India is where China was 30 years ago: It needs to industrialise, and for that, it needs to massively expand its energy infrastructure. The difference is: its choices are much better and clearer.

A look at China shows the downsides of a coal-heavy strategy: severe pollution and enormous water-usage. At the same time, the costs of wind and solar have fallen to about 10% of what they were in 1990.

India today has an option China never had: to build its future energy infrastructure around solar (and other renewables, storage, and smart grids), rather than coal.

This will be a choice that costs less, is much cleaner, saves water, provides a maximum of energy security, and allows India to move to the forefront of key future technologies. Solar has enough potential to satisfy vastly increased power demand in India.

It is also the opportunity of a lifetime for Indians that have no access to power (mostly in the villages) or face highly unreliable power (in many cities and industrial hubs). Solar now puts the power into the hands of consumers. It is quick and easy to install, making distributed power generation possible. In the future, if the government won’t fix it, consumers will do it themselves.

A Lifetime Opportunity for Energy Companies

India is a huge market, perhaps the largest future energy opportunity anywhere. As compared to China, it is also a much more open market. Also, solar is typically a more transparent (less corrupt, less political), more competitive, less complex, and more environmentally friendly market than thermal power.

The promise of the Indian solar market attracts an entirely new crowd of international investors, ranging from American and European utilities to the Japanese entrepreneur Masayoshi Son and his Softbank, to leading private equity investors and the Russian oil major Rosneft — often shifting away from other energy businesses (oil, coal, nuclear). They are making investment bets as large as any in the global energy market and India has attracted the biggest share of international investments this year.

A Lifetime Opportunity for the Global Climate

Last but not least, solar in India is one of the biggest single measures to save the global climate. If India goes down China’s path of coal, it will be very near impossible to keep the 2° Celsius target.

On the other hand, if India can build a modern energy infrastructure around solar, it will be of enormous benefit to everyone. And think of the effect this would have on development conversations everywhere: it can show the way for many other countries in a similar stage of development in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East — altogether half the world’s population. 

Floating solar is now a viable and installed alternative to ground mounting system. India has a high potential for systems.

Tendering process for photovoltaics and wind power with 1 MW or more in Germany

Article published in http://www.sunwindenergy.com/, in August the 5th, 2015

On Friday, the German Federal Ministry of Economics published the key points(link is external) of a law to tender renewable energy projects, which will come into effect in 2017. According to the document, the tendering process, which was tested earlier this year, will be mandatory for ground-mounted solar parks.

Photovoltaic systems on buildings with an output of 1 MW or more, as well as those installed at sites such as landfills, have been newly included in the process. The tendering process will be mandatory for wind farms from 2017 onwards. The only exceptions are plants with less than 1 MW capacity, prototypes and test facilities. The maximum size of wind farm projects is not specified.

Tendering process also for on-roof photovoltaic systems starting at 1 MW

The majority of private and commercial photovoltaic systems will continue to be subsidised through a predetermined feed-in tariff under the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG). In these cases, quantity control will still be implemented via the so-called 'flexible ceiling', and systems installed through the tendering process will be included in the calculation.

In the specific implementations of the tendering systems, technologies will be differentiated using customised tender designs. According to the Federal Ministry of Economics, the draft document focuses on technologies "that will make the most significant contributions to achieving the development goals of the EEG in 2014, specifically onshore wind energy, offshore wind energy and solar energy."

Federal Minister Sigmar Gabriel is utilising the leeway provided by the EU's energy subsidy guidelines, which require funding for renewable energy to be transitioned to the tendering model but nevertheless allow exceptions. The German Solar Industry Association noted that it is still too early to say with certainty whether the tendering process will be more efficient than the existing feed-in tariff model for solar energy in achieving the goal of expanding photovoltaics, as policy-makers intend. In general, however, the association welcomed the fact that small and medium-sized systems were not included in the tendering process. Nevertheless, it criticised some of the details. In the association's view, for example, it is "unacceptable that the Federal Ministry of Economics wants to exclude large roof-mounted PV systems that allow own-consumption of solar power from participating in the tendering process."

Tenders for wind energy as well

The tendering process will be mandatory for wind farms from 2017 onwards. The only exceptions are plants with less than 1 MW capacity, prototypes and test facilities. The maximum size of wind farm projects is not specified.

In order to participate in the tendering process, a permit pursuant to the German Federal Emission Control Act (BImSchG) must be obtained. The purpose of this is to ensure that bids are based on projects that have a high probability of being carried out, that their location and performance are specified and that they can be clearly categorised. In addition to this material qualification requirement, financial collateral must be deposited along with the bid. The so-called 'bid bond' will be 30 euros per kW installed capacity of the bid amount. The collateral can be submitted in the form of a bank guarantee conditioned upon successful participation or a cash deposit into a blocked account.

Criticism from the conventional energy industry

By contrast, representatives of conventional energy immediately criticised the key points. They had repeatedly demanded that small and medium-sized photovoltaic systems should only receive funding through the tendering process.

Statements, in particular regarding the consultation questions formulated in the key points document, can be submitted at the following email address until 1 October 2015: Ausschreibung-eeg@bmwi.bund.de(link sends e-mail). After carrying out a consultation procedure, the German Federal Government will submit a bill this year, which will then be discussed in the first half of 2016 in the Bundestag.

Floating Solar System are a viable alternative to traditional structures presenting many benefits 

ReneSola, Pristine Sun to form JV for 300MW solar projects in US

Article published on http://solar.cleantechnology-business-review.com/ , in august the 6th, 2015

China's ReneSola and San Francisco-based Pristine Sun have agreed to form a joint venture (JV) to develop, build and operate more than 300MW of solar projects in the US.

ReneSola will own a majority stake in the JV, dubbed Baynergy while Pristine Sun will own about 49% interest, depending on several conditions.

The JV will initially own solar projects in several development stages, including ground-mounted facilities and distributed generation arrays.

Baynergy JV intends to have about 150MW of solar projects in operation by the end of next year.

ReneSola CEO Xianshou Li said: "The U.S. market is full of tremendous opportunities in the downstream project sector with 25 gigawatts projected to be constructed in the commercial and utility space in the next five years.

"We believe we can capitalize on these opportunities and grow the joint venture by leveraging ReneSola's global reputation, network, high-quality green energy products and solar project execution."

Pristine Sun CEO Troy Helming said: "Capturing synergies from ReneSola's global platform and high product quality and Pristine Sun's in-depth U.S. market expertise, Baynergy is expected to accelerate efforts in promoting the use of renewable energy in local communities and yield healthy returns for investors of both companies."

ReneSola supplies photovoltaic (PV) modules to large-scale solar power projects globally including the US, the UK, Germany, France, and Italy.

Pristine Sun developed and built more than $100m of PV solar energy projects in the last two years.

US is a high potential market for floating solar systems

REC Solar wins Intersolar Award with TwinPeak module

Article originally published on www.sunwindenergy.com in June 12th 2015

In our video, Marketing and Communications Manager Orod Amiri talks about the latest developments of REC Solar(link is external) and presents their TwinPeak module, which won the Intersolar Award 2015 in the category “Photovoltaics”.

The new solar panel has a capacity of up to 280 W and incorporates several technologies, such as passivated emitter rear cell (PERC) technology. It consists of 120 half-cut multicrystalline solar cells, four busbars and has a split junction box. Together this enables a higher performance and efficiency. The special TwinPeak construction makes it possible for the module to produce electricity even when one half of the module lies in the shade.

Can Solar Panels Help Solve California's Drought

Article originally parished in www.bloomberg.com, on april 17th 2015.

From a distance, they almost look like a massive mosaic swimming-pool cover. They are photovoltaic panels, half-millimeter thick silicon wafers that are erected over reservoirs. Their function: Generate power while also conserving water.

For years, the technology was just a niche product. Now, with drought concerns growing in many places across the planet, it’s showing signs of taking off.

In parched parts of California and Australia, as well as in Japan, where cramped living conditions put land at a premium, the panels can increasingly be seen dotting the water. According to Infratech Industries Inc., a Sydney-based developer of the technology, they can produce almost 60 percent more electricity than land-based solar farms and they reduce evaporation by 90 percent.

Invisible Solar Cells That Could Power Skyscrapers

While still representing less than 1 percent of the power generated by all solar installations today, up from about zero a few years ago, Infratech anticipates much more growth in demand for the floating panels -- on reservoirs and even above hydro dams -- as global temperatures rise.

“Water is a commodity that is only going to increase in value,” Felicia Whiting, an Infratech director, said in a telephone interview.

Higher Cost

For the technology to keep gaining market share, though, producers will have to overcome what could be their biggest obstacle: The higher cost of installing and maintaining the panels relative to conventional units, which could limit their spread to drought-stricken or crowded areas.

“Making the system float has to be more expensive than putting a solar panel on a roof, or in a field,” Paul Meredith, a materials physicist at The University of Queensland who is investigating the efficient production of solar energy, said by phone. “Operating and maintenance is difficult enough on land without having to get into a row boat.”

Kyocera Corp. and Century Tokyo Leasing Corp. have built three plants in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, with combined capacity of 5.2 megawatts, according to a May statement. One megawatt is enough to power 357 Japanese homes, Kyocera said.

The Japanese plants are being developed on water in regions that lack available land for utility-scale generation, Hina Morioka, a Kyoto-based spokeswoman for Kyocera, said May 28 in an e-mailed response to questions. There are projects planned on about 30 reservoirs in Japan to generate about 60 megawatts. There are at least 5 operating plants in Japan with a combined capacity of 7.4 megawatts, less than 1 percent of the country’s 23.3 gigawatts of installed solar.

Japan, Mexico

Kyocera’s 2.3 megawatt rectangular plant at Kasai City has more than 9,000 solar modules sitting on floating platforms, which are anchored to the bottom of the reservoir. It covers about 40 percent of the water.

Solar Power Inc., backed by China’s LDK Solar Co., is planning projects in the U.S. and Mexico. The company has teamed with San Diego-based Aqua Clean Energy and identified more than 50 megawatts of potential plants for places including California, according to a statement in March.

Floating panels help conserve water, a shortage of which is threatening the production of coffee, almonds and other commodities. A record drought in California left millions of acres of farmland fallow.

Electricity Source

The sun could become the largest source of electricity by 2050, provided solar costs can be lowered, the International Energy Agency said in September. Panel prices are about two-thirds lower since 2010 because of a global supply glut driven by production in China.

Photovoltaic installations this year may exceed a record 61 gigawatts, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Japan may add more than 12 gigawatts and China 17 gigawatts. Global installations may reach 70 gigawatts next year, BNEF says.

“Photovoltaic solar is growing exponentially,” Chris Fell, principal research scientist at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, said by phone. “It’s renewable, non-polluting, and granular, so you can put it where you need it.”

U.S. solar capacity rose 30 percent to more than 20 gigawatts in 2014 and will more than double by the end of 2016, the Solar Energy Industries Association in Washington says.

Infratech’s 4 megawatt plant at Jamestown in southern Australia opened in April, the first such installation in the country. The nation has 4,100 megawatts of installed solar capacity, according to the Australian Photovoltaic Institute.

“In countries or regions where land, rather than cost, is the limiting factor in a solar system, floating panels may find a friendlier market,” Jacqueline Lilinshtein, a New York-based analyst for BNEF, wrote in an e-mail June 3.

12.5GW of Brazilian PV projects to go head-to-head in August auction

article originally published on www.solarplaza.com, in June 3rd, 2015

PVT - More than 12.5GW of solar PV projects have been given the green light to participate in Brazil's latest round of reserve energy auctions.

The country's Energy Research Company (EPE), announced at the end of last week that 382 PV projects have been accredited, making up 12,528MW of capacity in total, ahead of the tender process taking place on 14 August.

According to an EPE statement, the total capacity of prospective bidders exceeds the total capacity of a vast 11GW hydro power plant, Belo Monte, being built in the country.

EU Extends Solar Anti-dumping Investigation To Malaysia And Taiwan

Article originally publish on www.cleantechnica.com, in June 1st, 2015

Chinese solar modules manufacturers who have moved a part of their production facilities to neighbouring countries may face fresh anti-dumping investigations from the European Union.

Following an application by SolarWorld, the European Commission announced last week that it has initiated anti-dumping investigations into solar PV modules imported into the EU and manufactured in Malaysia and Taiwan.

According to media reports, the investigation is expected to cover only Chinese companies that have manufacturing facilitates in Malaysia and Taiwan. Currently, EU levies anti-dumping duties on solar PV modules manufactured only in China. Manufacturers that set a minimum sale price for the modules, as per EU requirement, are not affected by such duties.

The investigation could be a big blow to the Chinese manufacturers that had shifted production bases out of China. SunPower and Hanwha Q Cells, among others, have operational production facilities in Malaysia. For the moment, the investigation will only look into the import of crystalline silicon modules.

Several Chinese companies have moved to other countries to escape countervailing duties imposed by the EU. Apart from Taiwan and Malaysia, companies have moved to South Korea, Thailand, and even the EU and US. Some of the companies are now also planning to enter India. Over the last few months, the likes of Trina Solar and Zhongli Talesun have started construction of production facilitates for solar PV modules in Thailand.

Japan’s Solar Farms Take to the Water

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE WALLSTREET JOURNAL JAPAN , in may 27TH 2015

Workers walk past rows of solar panels at the 2.3-megawatt floating solar power station operated by Kyocera  TCL Solar LLC.

 

Bloomberg News

At a time when major electronics makers are using idled semiconductor clean rooms to grow high-quality vegetables, it should come as no surprise to see Japanese farmers floating solar panels on reservoirs that are used to water rice fields.

Thanks to a generous feed-in tariff for renewable energy, Japan has become a global force to be reckoned with in the area of floating solar power generation.

Earlier this week, the world’s largest facility by capacity started commercial operations in Hyogo prefecture, western Japan. The 2.3 megawatt Sakasamaike facility, set up on an agricultural water reservoir, was built and is operated by a joint venture between major solar cell manufacturer Kyocera Corp. and Century Tokyo Leasing Corp

Before the Sakasamaike facility came online, the world’s largest floating solar station was a 1.7MW facility also in Hyogo. And 10 months from now, Sakasamaike is likely to be knocked from the top spot by a 13.4MW facility being built on a dam reservoir in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo, according to Kyocera.

Japan has a large number of agricultural water reservoirs that keep water supplies necessary for growing rice. With land suitable for utility-scale solar generation already otherwise occupied, Kyocera is focusing on artificial ponds and lakes to build more solar facilities.

“Floating solar stations are not expensive compared with land-based solar. Equipment is more costly, but construction is simpler,” a Kyocera spokeswoman said.

Ciel Terre, a French technology firm specializing in floating solar technology, opened an office in Tokyo in 2013 and has provided equipment for floating solar ventures including Kyocera’s projects. It even started equipment production in Japan last October.

There are several firms in the floating solar field. Osaka Gas is one such company. It started operations at a 850KW floating solar station on an agricultural water reservoir in Hyogo prefecture last September. “We have received many inquiries from communities that jointly hold rights to use artificial ponds. There are a particularly large number of such ponds in Hyogo, so we’ve had many inquiries from there,” a company spokesman said.

For the latest news and analysis, 

Honduras to Overtake Mexico as Latin America’s Second-Largest Solar Market in 2015

Article originally published in www.solarplaza.com, on may 12th, 2015

With 349 megawatts of utility-scale PV projects under construction despite concerns about country risk, Honduras has emerged as Latin America's 2015 surprise story. There is incentive to quickly finish projects in the Central American nation, as the first 300 megawatts of projects to connect by July qualify for a bonus tariff of $155 per megawatt-hour.

GTM - In the latest edition of the Latin America PV Playbook, GTM Research forecasts Honduras to install 460 megawatts of PV this year. This puts Honduras second in the rankings, behind perennial market leader Chile, which is expected to install 1 gigawatt in 2015. Mexico, Latin's America's No. 2 installer in 2014, will be bumped into third place.

Brazilian State Minas Gerais To Invest $324 Million In Solar PV Projects

Article originally published in www.cleantechnica.com, on May 11th 2015

Minas Gerais, the south-eastern state of Brazil, has announced that it will start auctions of solar photovoltaic power plants later this year.

The state government recently announced that it will facilitate auction of large-scale solar power projects in August. It will also support the development of these projects by investing $324 million into the project projects which are expected to be commissioned in 2017.

The financial support is not expected to be limited to the solar power projects but the government may also support development of solar PV modules manufacturing units in the state.

The media reports did not clarify whether these auctions would be different from the national solar power auction held last year. In October 2014, the National Electric Energy Agency organised country’s first solar-only auction and it received an overwhelming response from the developers.

Prospective developers placed bids for 400 projects with total generation capacity of about 10 GW. A total of 31 solar power parks were finally auctioned to developers representing 1,048 MW capacity. The power generated from the projects would be sold through 20-year power purchase agreements. Implementation of all the 31 solar power parks would require a cumulative investment of $1.66 billion from the companies.

Brazil has become a highly attractive market with leading global developers like Enel Green Power and SunEdison looking to aggressively expand their footprint in this emerging market.

Brazil is heavily dependent on hydro power projects. A huge majority of its electricity comes from large hydro power projects which have been controversial for their adverse environmental effects. The Brazilian government, however, is looking to push into other renewable energy technologies as well. Earlier this year, a floating solar PV power project of 350 MW capacity on the Balbina hydroelectric plant was announced. Once commissioned, the project would among the largest floating solar power projects in the world.

Latin America’s Largest Rooftop PV Array Built at PepsiCo Facility in Honduras

Article originally published in www.solarplaza.com, May 7th 2015.


ET - The largest rooftop PV power plant in Latin America has been completed by Smartsolar, a developer of rooftop PV systems in Honduras. Smartersolar chose SMA inverters and JinkoSolar PV Modules for the 3MW system atop the PepsiCo bottling plant. The array is expected to generate approximately 4,250,000 kWh of solar power per year and offset 16% of the manufacturing facility’s energy consumption.

The rooftop PV system comprises 98 SMA Sunny Tripower 24000TL-US inverters and 11,702 JinkoSolar PV modules. (related post) It is owned and installed by Embotelladora de Sula, S.A. (EMSULA). The commercial project will reduce the bottling plant’s power costs and will better manage energy price fluctuations.

Indian State Of Uttar Pradesh Signs 600 MW Solar Power Agreements

Article originally published in cleantechnica.com, on May 6th 2015

Indian states are gearing up to develop ambitious ultra mega solar power projects in association with the Solar Energy Corporation of India.

The state of Uttar Pradesh has signed agreements with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for installation of four solar PV power projects with a total capacity of 600 MW. The projects will be set up under the Indian government’s larger policy to add 20 GW solar power capacity through ultra mega solar power projects in the next few years. The capacity of these projects is expected to be between 500 MW and 4 GW, however, states where adequate land is not available will distribute the total capacity into relatively smaller sizes of few hundred megawatts.

The four projects planned in Uttar Pradesh will be distributed in a project of 350 MW, a project of 50 MW and two projects of 100 MW each. The timeline for implementation of these projects has not been revealed but the projects are part of the updated National Solar Mission which plans to add new capacity worth 97 GW by 2022.

While Uttar Pradesh has a solar power policy of its own, it is yet to see any significant momentum. Being one of the largest states, in terms of population as well as area, Uttar Pradesh holds tremendous solar power generation potential. Various state governments have so far failed to tap that potential.

SECI, for its part, has initiated procedures to set up these projects. The government agencyissued an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services tender to facilitate installation of 2 GW solar power capacity.

Agreements with 7 state governments representing 9.85 GW solar PV have so far been signed by the SECI.