Kyocera and Ciel et Terre to Construct World’s Largest Floating Solar Power Plant

In post-Fukushima Japan, the need for an increase in the use of renewable energy is becoming clearer and clearer as coal use continues to rise dramatically.   Securing tracts of land suitable for utility scale solar is becoming more difficult as solar adoption has ramped up in recent years. The solution, announced this week by Kyocera TCL Solar LLC and Ciel et Terre is to utilize the country’s abundant water surfaces as the base for floating solar installations.

Kyocera plans to develop floating installations for reservoirs in the country utilizing Ciel et Terre’s Hydrelio© floating solar platforms in two installations, totaling 2.9 megawatts (MW) at Nishihira Pond and Higashihira Pond in Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The 1.7MW plant planned at Nishihira Pond will become the world’s largest solar power generating system installed on water. Combined, the plants will use 11,256 Kyocera 255-watt solar modules and is expected to generate approximately 3,300 MWh/year.

Some of the features highlighted by the project include:

1.      Generates more electricity than ground-mount and rooftop systems thanks to the cooling effect of the water.

2.      Reduces reservoir evaporation and algae growth by shading the water.

3.      Ciel et Terre’s floating platforms are 100% recyclable, utilizing high-density polyethylene which can withstand ultraviolet rays and corrosion.

4.      A strong design and installation technology are used for the floating platforms to ensure durability against typhoons.