When many people think of the Caribbean, they picture island living. The group of islands, however, might find another use: host for offshore floating solar PVs, according to recently published research.
In what could be a huge boost to renewable energy, the 700 islands of the Caribbean could become a source of clean power by hosting offshore floating solar platforms. This was the conclusion of solar economy professor at LUT University in Finland, Christian Breyer. Speaking to PV Magazine, Breyer said the region could become a global hub for offshore floating solar PV production.
Breyer worked on a paper exploring the possibility of setting up floating solar panels in the Caribbean’s many islands, focusing on the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of such platforms in Puerto Rico.
The research discovered that Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean lagged in renewable energy capacity last year. Puerto Rico reported 841 MW of installed renewable energy, with 639 MW contributed by solar.
Breyer’s paper, however, postulated that even though the Caribbean is limited in land resources, its renewable energy strength could lie in floating solar platforms.
According to the International Solar Energy Society, regions with waves less than 6 m or winds less than 15 m/s in speed can produce up to one million TWh per year. However, offshore floating solar projects in the Caribbean pose some unique challenges, including natural storm protection. Puerto Rico, for example, has weathered 20 hurricanes and storms in the last decade alone.
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