The Italian Scintec, a firm that produces various sources of renewable energy, has reached a new system for harnessing the solar energy, the new system can be spread over the unused reservoirs surfaces, and overcoming the problem of using large areas of land.
They new system is called The Floating Tracking Cooling Concentrator (FTCC) system is hooked to the bed, the series of floating platforms with photovoltaic panels supported by a structure in polyethylene tubes, the panels can be cooled using the water. Changing the type of panels can lead to the variance of the power from 20 to 200 kW.
Floating Tracking Cooling Concentrator (FTCC) System allows to exploit small basins and natural and artificial lakes to install PV plants.
The FTCC system consists of a series of floating platforms with photovoltaic panels supported by a structure in polyethylene tubes. The power of a single module ranges from 20 to 200 kW, depending on the type of panel used. Cooling of the panel is ensured by a veil of water that is generated by a set of irrigators.
The FTCC system overcomes the limitations discussed above. In particular:
Water veil keeps the PV panel at low temperatures with an average yearly energy gain of more than 10%.
The floating platform allows a very efficient one axis tracking, so that reflectors can be easily oriented to increase radiation collected on the panels.
The system exploits the unused areas of artificial reservoirs and has a very limited environmental impact.
Finally the cost of the system is limited. In practice the cost of tracking, cooling and reflectors (platform included) is less than € 800 for kWp. This further investment is limited compared to the one needed for PV part and it is offset by the increase of the yearly energy yield.
Nice&useful msg
nice