Floating solar systems for clean energy: Addressing Humidity-Induced Corrosions

Floating solar photovoltaic (FSPV) systems have become one of the solutions for sustainable energy generation, especially in the face of increasing global energy demand and the depletion of traditional fossil fuels (coal and crude oil).The use of large tracts of land is one of the main problems associated with traditional land-based photovoltaic (PV) systems, as land is sometimes scarce or uneconomical.FSPV technology overcomes this constraint by utilizing the available surface area of water bodies, thereby eliminating land acquisition problems and increasing energy generation efficiency.In floating solar systems, photovoltaic modules are mounted on floating structures on water.Water has a natural cooling effect that helps regulate the temperature of the modules, resulting in higher operational efficiency compared to groundmounted systems.This paper provides a comparative analysis of the power output of floating solar and land-based solar systems through two case studies: one without considering the effect of corrosion and another considering the effect of corrosion due to wet conditions on system performance and durability.The results show that the land-based system generates an annual alternating current (AC) energy output of 17.28 GWh without considering corrosion effects, whereas the floating solar system generates 19 GWh.With respect to water-induced corrosion, although humid conditions promote corrosion and reduce module life in the floating solar system, it still demonstrates a superior power output of 5.26% compared to the land-based model.Moreover, the floating solar plant offers significant environmental advantages, such as reducing emissions by 13,679 tCO₂ annually and saving 144,067 kL of water by lowering the evaporation rate.Thus, floating solar systems can be considered a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy source in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims to provide affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.