DOWN TO THE SEA FOR NEW ENERGY, Part 2

Floating Solar
Ysabel Yates, December 8, 2011 (TXchnologist)

"… With the world’s population surging…limited land resources…[are overburdened producing] food and energy…Fortunately…space is abundant…[on] over 70% of the planet’s surface…[and the] ocean is awash with potential for alternative energy…There are hurdles…But there are a number of technologies…[that have the potential]…"

click to enlarge

"The ocean is the world’s largest solar collector, but there has yet to be any large-scale deployment of floating solar “islands”. One of the big obstacles is the potential for storms to damage or unhinge the equipment. The Australian solar power company Sunengy claims to have found a way…[Its] Liquid Solar Arrays…submerge themselves when storms hit and remain safely underwater until they pass. The design uses lightweight, readily available plastic and existing solar power harvesting technologies. The company has recently partnered with India’s largest integrated private power utility, Tata Power, to build a pilot plant of Liquid Solar Arrays."