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    Duke Energy Builds 1-MW Floating Solar Array atop Florida Cooling Pond

    Dec. 18, 2023
    The floating solar array comprises of more than 1,800 solar panels floating on 2 acres of water surface on an existing cooling pond at the Duke Energy Hines Energy Complex in Bartow. The bifacial solar panels absorb light from both sides.
    Image source Duke Energy
    65805ce558bf01001e1b47d1 Duke Floating Solar

    Duke Energy has completed a 1-MW floating solar project in Florida, as part of its Vision Florida program.
    The floating solar array comprises of more than 1,800 solar panels floating on 2 acres of water surface on an existing cooling pond at the Duke Energy Hines Energy Complex in Bartow. The bifacial solar panels absorb light from both sides, which are capable of producing 10-20 percent more power, as compared to their single-sided counterparts.
    The module floating system was assembled on land in segments before securing it with anchors in the water, which took about six months to construct and connect to the grid.
    The utility’s Vision Florida agenda is set to test decarbonization projects such as green hydrogen, hydrogen produced from sources other than fossil fuels and various battery energy storage technologies to prepare the power grid for a cleaner energy future.
    Recently, Duke Energy announced plans to build a green hydrogen production and storage system connected to its existing solar site in Volusia County.
    Additionally, the company plans to operate 25 grid-tied solar power plants by 2024 to provide about 1,500 MW of emission-free generation and benefit its 1.9 million Florida customers.

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    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.