China, which was one of the worst offenders in the area of carbon emissions, is now a world leader in the adoption of renewables. China is on the way to becoming “green superpower.”
Now the world’s largest floating solar plant in the South Anhui Province of China is finally online and generating renewable energy. This 40MW plant was created by PV inverter manufacturer Sungrow Power Supply Co. Many other similarly-sized projects are cropping up all over China.
This solar power plant is located in an appropriate setting. It’s based in an area which was once a coal-mining town. But now the area is flooded due to rainy weather. In certain areas, water is four to ten meters deep.
Since the area was previously used for coal mining operations, the water there is mineralized and mostly useless. With this floating solar plant, the useless water and land are put to good use. Moreover, the water naturally cools the system, which helps in improving power generation and preventing long-term damage from heat.
As explained by a spokesperson from the local government, “The plant not only makes full use of this area, reducing the demand for lands but also improves generation due to the cooling effects of the surface.”
