Floating solar panels are a growing trend around the world, and the UK seems to be cottoning on to their potential.
The government has just approved the largest floating solar panel project in Barrow in an attempt to generate cheap energy.
The project promises to solve one of the biggest problems with large-scale solar projects, the amount of land that they take up, meaning solar panels could become even more viable across the UK.
UK’s biggest floating solar project gets green light
The new installation at Cavendish Dock in Barrow will cover around 200,000m², roughly a third of the dock’s water surface.
About 47,000 solar panels will be installed on floating pontoons secured to the dock bed.
The project is expected to produce up to 40MWp of electricity, enough to power local port operations and nearby industry. Construction is planned so that existing dock activities can continue alongside the solar panels.
Floating solar is spreading fast worldwide
Floating solar has been growing rapidly across Asia, Europe, and North America. In 2024 alone, more than 1.8GW of floating solar capacity was added globally.
Large installations include China’s 320MW Dezhou plant, projects in Japan and India on reservoirs, and Europe’s hybrid systems on hydropower lakes.
Singapore and the Netherlands are investing in offshore and dock-based panels, while dual-axis tracking systems are used in some inland sites to boost energy output. Floating solar PV is expected to expand as countries seek ways to scale renewable energy efficiently.
A solution to the land-use problem
One key advantage of floating solar is that it doesn’t compete with farmland or green spaces.
In the UK, several of the country’s largest solar farms were approved last year, but they still faced criticism for taking up land, such as these three from last year that were the largest on record.
Floating projects on docks, reservoirs, and industrial ponds provide a way to expand solar capacity without using valuable land.
As pressure grows for renewable energy, water-based panels could become an increasingly important part of the UK’s energy mix, without drawing complaints from locals.
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