Duke Energy finishes first floating solar project in Florida

An almost 1 MW floating solar array entered service last week in Florida, as part of a pilot from Duke Energy’s Vision Florida program – a first for the state.

The new array consists of more than 1,800 bifacial solar panels floating on a cooling pond at the Duke Energy Hines Energy Complex in Bartow, Florida. These panels are capable of absorbing light from both sides, which means they should be able to produce 10-20 percent more power than single-sided contemporaries. It’s secured in the water by anchors, and will help onboard more clean energy onto the grid.

“We are committed to building a smarter, cleaner energy future for our customers, while continuing to look for ways to maintain affordability and reliability,” Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, said. “By exploring alternative solutions on a smaller scale and on our own property, we are maximizing the space and expanding our use and knowledge of innovative emission free technologies that will move us forward on our path to net-zero carbon emissions.”

Under the Vision Florida program, Duke Energy is designed to test new types of projects such as green hydrogen, hydrogen produced from non-fossil fuel sources, battery energy storage solutions and more.

In the case of the floating option, work took approximately six months. It was built in phases on land before deployment to the water. It’s also soon to be in good company, as Duke Energy plans to host 25 grid-tied solar power plants as of next year, providing around 1,500 MW of generation for the company’s 1.9 million Florida customers.