The country aspires to lead the international efforts against climate change
The country aspires to lead the international efforts against climate change
Last May, the world’s largest floating solar farm was switched on in the city of Huainan, in China’s eastern Anhui province. With its 166,000 panels, it can produce 40 MW of energy – enough to power 15,000 homes (the previously largest floating solar array was a 6.3 MW plant located in the UK). The power plant, built by the Chinese firm Sungrow Power Supply, sits on a lake (the depth of which ranges from 4 to 10 meters) over a collapsed coal mine. Due to heavy rains, the area was flooded after the subsidence of the mine, but the lake was left largely unused until the solar panels’ installation this year.
The leader in renewables
An estimated 1.1 million people die each year in China due to heavy air pollution, created mainly by the emissions of power plants, factories and automobiles. The country has dynamically turned to renewables and plans to gradually close down polluting factories and thermal power plants which use coal as fuel. In fact, the figures show that China invests more each year in wind, hydro and solar power than any other country on earth and is now the international leader in solar energy production. According to the National Energy Administration, the country’s capacity reached 77.42 GW at the end of 2016, with renewables make up 11% of its energy use. By 2030, the government hopes to get than number up to 20% as one of its goals in the Paris accord.
Floating solar farms are becoming more and more popular
Floating solar arrays have several advantages and have begun to gain ground in the last decade. First of all, they can be built in areas that would otherwise go unused, saving costs in the process as space on land is typically more expensive. Furthermore, the surrounding water has a cooling effect on the surface of the panels, reducing the risk of overheating and making them more efficient. Last but not least, they can help to mitigate the evaporation of water (used for drinking or irrigation) by intercepting sunlight before it hits a reservoir’s surface.
Reuters/Stringer
Image source: Hindustan Times
Image: Sungrow Power Supply
Image source: Hindustan Times
Image source: Hindustan Times
Image source: Hindustan Times
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