Floating Solar Panels: A Dual Solution for New Zealand’s Power Crisis

Floating solar panels on wastewater ponds can address New Zealand's electricity security crisis by providing renewable energy and improving water quality. The first floating solar array in Auckland has demonstrated potential savings and environmental benefits. This project could inspire future deployments to help meet growing energy demands efficiently.

Canterbury, Sep 24 (The Conversation) — Wastewater ponds may seem an unlikely place to look for solutions to New Zealand's electricity security crisis. But their underutilised surfaces could help tackle two problems at once — high power prices and algal growth.

Floating solar panels on wastewater ponds offer a multifaceted answer. They generate renewable energy, improve water quality in treatment ponds, and reduce costs.

Leading this innovative approach is the 2020 installation of New Zealand's first floating solar array at the Rosedale wastewater treatment plant in Auckland. This project demonstrates how New Zealand could double the country's power supply without the need for additional land and serves as a test case for future deployments on other reservoirs and dams.

The project comprises 2,700 solar panels and 4,000 floating pontoons, covering one hectare of the treatment pond. This not only makes excellent use of marginal land in a dense urban environment but also generates 1,040 kilowatts of electricity and reduces 145 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Moreover, the array saves New Zealand dollar 4.5 million in electricity costs per year. Alongside biogas co-generation, it meets 25 per cent of the plant's energy needs. This represents the first use of floating solar and the first megawatt-sized solar project in the country.

As energy prices continue to soar and environmental pressures mount, innovative solutions like floating solar panels are crucial. Wastewater ponds provide an underused resource with over 200 such ponds in New Zealand. Floating solar panels not only generate power but also prevent algal growth, offer shade to reduce water temperature, and decrease evaporation.

Utility-scale solar panels, now recognized as the cheapest form of energy with rapidly declining costs, show significant advantages even in New Zealand's cooler climate. Given New Zealand's high per capita energy usage, this innovative approach could set an example for addressing energy and environmental challenges.

By turning underutilised spaces into power-generating assets, New Zealand not only addresses its immediate energy needs but also paves the way for a more sustainable and resilient future.

(With inputs from agencies.)