Look: Know the world's biggest floating solar farms

FLOATOVOLTAICS: Floating solar, or 'floatovoltaics,' marks a revolutionary approach to solar energy, with arrays placed on water bodies rather than traditional land-based systems. This method not only generates clean energy but also offers potential cost savings and increased efficiency. As we delve into the globe's top floating solar farms, these aquatic installations showcase groundbreaking achievements in renewable energy.

6. SIRINDHORN DAM, THAILAND - 45 MW | Situated on the Lam Dom Noi River, Thailand's Sirindhorn Dam Floating Solar Farm, operational since 2021, boasts a 45 MW capacity. With 145,000 panels using eco-friendly materials, it ensures minimal environmental disruption. Covering just 1% of the reservoir's surface area, the panels save 460,000 cubic meters of water yearly.

5. SEMBCORP FLOATING SOLAR FARM, SINGAPORE - 60 MW | Opened in 2021 on Singapore's Tengeh Reservoir, this 60 MW floating solar farm spans 45 hectares, contributing to the nation's goal of quadrupling solar energy capacity by 2025.

4. CECEP FLOATING SOLAR FARM, CHINA - 70 MW | Constructed by the China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, this 70 MW project, operational since March 2019, features 194,731 solar panels covering over 60 hectares. Huainan, east China's Anhui province.

3. CIRATA FLOATING SOLAR FARM, INDONESIA - 145 MW | Opened in 2023, Indonesia's Cirata floating solar farm, with 145 MW capacity, powers 50,000 homes and offsets 214,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Plans for Phase II aim for an astounding 500 MW additional capacity.

2. THREE GORGES NEW ENERGY FLOATING FARM, CHINA - 150 MW | Located in Huainan City, this 150 MW project by Three Gorges New Energy began grid integration in December 2017. Built on a former coal mine's lake, it symbolizes a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

1. DEZHOU DINGZHUANG FLOATING SOLAR FARM, CHINA - 320 MW | Ranked as the world's largest, the Dezhou Dingzhuang Floating Solar Farm in China, with a colossal 320 MW capacity, leads the way in floating PV projects. Integrated with 8 MWh of battery storage and a 100 MW wind farm, it showcases Huaneng Dezhou Dingzhuang's commitment to cutting-edge renewable energy solutions. Spanning two phases of construction, this facility is set to generate approximately 550 million kWh of electricity annually.

DID YOU KNOW? Humanity has (more than) enough space for those floating power generators: the world's oceans have a combined area of about 361 million km² vs 496,805 km² of solar panels needed to power the entire planet (by one estimate). And floating panels need not be in the oceans. Face file: The Great Lakes between the US and Canada occupies an area of about 244,106 km². Lake Victoria in North Africa has a surface area of 68,800 km².