Water and wastewater utilities can benefit from new floating solar power systems offered by SPG Solar. The company’s Floatovoltaics® technology is a hybrid solar power system built on water. By installing solar panels floating on lakes, lagoons or ponds, the panels are naturally cooled, resulting in improved power production. In turn, the solar panels shade the water, limiting algae growth and helping reduce evaporation.
With electricity costs increasing nearly 22% in the past five years and even higher and more volatile prices projected, water agencies face a daunting challenge in keeping costs down for ratepayers, while at the same time finding the resources to invest in critical infrastructure projects.
The good news is that water facilities in several states are taking control of their energy costs by turning to solar photovoltaic (PV) power. The even better news is that, according to Michael Liebreich chairman of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the cost of large solar system projects will fall by 50% by 2020. Consumers, businesses and municipalities are putting their assets to work in generating electricity with rooftop, carport and land-based solar installations.
As an example, since 2007, Massachusetts has been aggressively rolling out solar projects and energy efficiency measures at 14 water and wastewater facilities across the state in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and 20% of the energy used by water treatment facilities. Through this program, $3.7 million of annual energy savings is anticipated through energy efficiencies and on-site energy power generation.
In another case, the Vallecitos Water District (VWD), serving over 80,000 resident of North San Diego County, CA, with water, wastewater and reclamation services, turned to SPG Solar to install a solar carport system, shading the fleet and employee parking lot. Utility rebates paid for nearly 43% of the cost of the solar PV system and the system offsets roughly 90% of VWD’s annual electricity onsite.
