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What is a floating solar power plant?
Mis à jour le
February 5, 2026
5
Min reading
Solar energy is an abundant and inexhaustible source that plays a key role in achieving the objectives of the law on energy transition. Unfortunately, its operation requires a great deal of space. The installation of solar power plants on the ground often requires the diversion of the use of agricultural land or the destruction of natural areas.
Floating solar Presents itself as a great alternative that deserves attention. SirEnergies invites you to discover the principle of floating solar power plants, their advantages, their disadvantages as well as their operation in France and around the world.
One floating photovoltaic power plant is a solar park installed on the water. The purpose of this system for the production ofsolar energy is to increase the capacity to produce green electricity. It also helps to alleviate the problems associated with the exploitation of land resources.
A solar power plant can be installed on a natural water source as on an artificial water source. This floating photovoltaic park model requires a large body of water. It can be deployed on a water treatment basin, on a reservoir of weir or on a quarry lake.
Because of the instabilities caused by waves and the corrosive effect of seawater, it is not very recommended to install a photovoltaic power plant on the ocean. Artificial reservoirs are preferred in choosing the location of a floating solar park.
When it must be installed on a natural body of water, it can occupy an average of 50% of the total surface of the latter. These various principles make it possible to minimize the impacts of this energy production technology on the ecosystem. To build a solar power plant, the photovoltaic panels are installed on floats. They are then fixed to supports anchored to the bottom of the watercourse or to banks.
Solar energy is one of the most advantageous means in the quest to achieve the objectives of the energy transition law. The system for producing this green electricity from floating photovoltaic farms has even better benefits. However, it also has some limitations.
Les advantages of floating photovoltaic power plants are measured on three aspects:
- environmental impacts,
- the benefits in terms of energy,
- geographic and territorial advantages
On the environmental level, floating photovoltaic farms make it possible to considerably reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This electricity generation technology helps to take advantage of a natural, renewable and abundant source.
It also contributes to the reduction of water evaporation. This phenomenon is the basis for the drying up of lakes and other natural water reservoirs. Thanks to photovoltaic panels which absorb the sun's rays on the surface of the water, the risks of evaporation are reduced.
Conversely, water cools the solar panels, which offers the possibility of improving their efficiency. This system is more effective than solar farms installed on the ground. Exposure to high temperatures thus reduces the performance of the electronic components of the solar energy production system, which is not the case with floating farms.
In terms of energy, photovoltaic farms offer better performance thanks to The maximum amount of sunshine from which they benefit. Streams benefit from minimal shade and an optimal reverberation effect that helps them offer significant energy efficiency.
Geographically and territorially, the installation of a floating solar power plant is the solution that offers the possibility of optimizing the management of terrestrial spaces. In agricultural or heavily populated areas, this solar energy production system makes better use of available land.
When installed on a natural watercourse, a floating photovoltaic park has impacts on the ecosystem. It affects the development of phytoplankton, as the implantation area no longer benefits from natural lighting. This destabilizes the food chain and the viability of living species in the water reserve. For this reason, functional lakes cannot be exploited to produce solar energy.
Because of environmental constraints, feasibility studies for a floating photovoltaic power plant project can take a long time. Likewise, many regions cannot take advantage of this solution.
In terms of practicality, other parameters such as the level of sun exposure and temperature can reduce the chances of success of a floating solar park. The implementation of this solar energy production system can then be very difficult because of the many parameters to be taken into account.
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