Floating photovoltaics systems on water irrigation ponds: Technical potential and multi-benefits analysis

Floating photovoltaic systems (FPV) can be a more sustainable alternative for the energy transition than groundmounted photovoltaic systems, as they avoid occupying useable land and the power generation is more distributed. This paper presents the first study that calculates the FPV technical potential at the province/municipality level, focusing on water irrigation ponds, which it is a novelty in the literature that usually focuses on large water infrastructures in a national approach. In the province of Jae ' n (Spain), more than 3000 ponds dedicated to agricultural irrigation have been identified and their surface area and location was obtained. The results, calculated for each pond, reveal that, in a conservative scenario, in which only 25% of their surface area is covered, a minimum of 490 MWp can be installed, which can provide 251% of the province agricultural electricity consumption and 27% of the total electricity needs. This analysis has also been performed at the municipal level, where all possible FPV plants have been aggregated and compared with consumption that would be covered at this scale. Furthermore, this technology brings additional benefits, as it avoids the occupation of 12 km(2) of useable land, 8.8 center dot 10(6) m(3)/year of water evaporated, while creating more than 7000 jobs.

Automated summary

This study presents the first calculation of the technical potential of floating photovoltaic systems (FPV) at the province/municipality level, focusing on water irrigation ponds. The results show that a minimum of 490 MWp can be installed in the province of Jae 'n, Spain, which can provide 251% of the province's agricultural electricity consumption and 27% of the total electricity needs. Additionally, FPV technology brings benefits such as land conservation, water conservation, and job creation.