Floating Photovoltaic Solar Power

Photovoltaic panels that float on water offer a number of potential advantages over land-based solar power plants. With land resources increasingly required to meet the needs of growing populations for housing, agriculture and industry, floating panels present a viable alternative to traditional solar panels.

Floating Photovoltaic Solar Power (FPV) plants can be more efficient, due to the water’s cooling effect. They also reduce evaporation, saving fresh water for drinking even as the water surface is used to generate electricity.

Masdar entered the FPV market in 2020 when it announced plans to develop a 145MW plant in Indonesia, on a 250-hectare plot of the 6200-hectare Cirata Reservoir, in the West Java region. The Cirata FPV, the largest in Southeast Asia, is one of the biggest FPV plants in the world.