Sunengy, an Australia solar power company, declared that it has entered into a business accord with TATA Power, India’s major integrated private power utility, to construct a first of its kind floating solar power generation plant. The proposed plant will incorporate Sunengy’s Liquid Solar Array (LSA) technology.
The Sunengy LSA incorporates conventional concentrated photovoltaic technology comprising a lens and solar cells to track the movement of the sun all through the day. The LSA is designed to float over water and does not require large land areas or costly structures to safeguard it from strong winds. The lenses utilized in the LSA get submerged during rough conditions and the water over which they float cools down the solar panels, thus increasing their life and efficiency.
According to Peter Wakeman, Chairman and Executive Director of Business Development of Sunengy, the LSA, when utilized along with hydroelectric power generation facility, offers round-the-clock power supply. It could match the energy output of a standard hydro dam by utilizing less than 10% of area and also generating extra 6 to 8 h of energy in a day.