SBIR Phase I: Feasibility investigation for a self-buoyant solar panel

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to bring to market a novel self-buoyant panel that will enable floating photovoltaics (FPV) to play an important role in achieving the Nation’s clean energy goals. The Federal Solar Futures Study describes a goal to generate over 40% of the nation’s electricity using solar, which would require a 10x increase. However, this would require 10 million acres by 2050 – an area larger than New Jersey. FPV systems can directly mitigate land displacement. According to NREL, the 24,419 US bodies of water have a technical potential of over 300 GW. The barrier to scaling deployments is the cost premium of the artificial island needed to support panels, which can increase system costs by 30% compared to ground-mounted utility scale solar arrays. The proposed solar panel design floats uses sealed photovoltaic (PV) glass tubes and no mounting hardware to solve the cost premium. Further, the PV tubes track the sun like 1-axis trackers, but with no moving parts, to increase energy yield by 10-20%. These systems could become the cheapest form of solar. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to address the key barriers to commercialization of the proposed FPV technology. Realizing the market and impact potential of this solution requires retiring multiple risks and achieving several milestones that are address in the proposed project. The company will refine and test functional tubes that are hermetically sealed at the ends to maintain floatation and protect the solar cells. The company will team with one of the premier US marine renewable energy research institutions, to study multiple aspects of the design. First, the project will focus on a robust structural system that meets operating requirements. The project will research using simulation tools the mooring system and panel configurations needed for a range of wave and wind conditions. Additionally, a key element of a self-buoyant approach requires knowledge of potential biological factors that can impact solar production and panel performance. Accordingly, this investigation will also study the potential effects of biofilms and other environmental factors on PV tubes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.