Every country wants to lead the renewable energy revolution, and Japan has already begun its journey to the top of the industry. The nation has unveiled a groundbreaking project that challenges all conventions: they plan to build the world’s largest floating solar power plant. Yes, floating!

Their goal is clear: to utilize water surfaces to generate electricity without taking up valuable land that could be used for agriculture or other industries, a crucial solution in a country where avxcailable space is extremely limited.

What are we talking about?

Kyocera will be responsible for developing a massive floating solar farm located in Yamakura Reservoir, in Japan’s Chiba region. This photovoltaic power plant will feature 50,000 solar panels, capable of supplying electricity to 5,000 households once operational.

The initiative is part of Japan’s effort to find alternative energy solutions in response to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The goal is to develop a new strategy that will reshape the country’s energy industry.

What is Kyocera?

Kyocera is one of Japan’s leading technology innovators, with a clear mission: to maximize renewable energy production without compromising arable land.

This is precisely why they chose a reservoir for their solar panels not only will they generate electricity, but they will also help reduce water evaporation.

In terms of data, the system will have a capacity of 13.7 megawatts (MW) which, although not enough to rank among the largest solar plants in the world, serves as a reference model for future installations in land-scarce countries like Japan.

Does this floating plant have advantages?

Of course! Japan is a country with very limited space and no possibility of expansion (since it is surrounded by the ocean), so floating solar farms are an ideal way to make use of available areas in densely populated regions. Additionally, being on water improves efficiency as the panels won’t overheat, leading to better performance.

Not only that, but the installation will also provide shade to the reservoir, helping reduce water loss due to evaporation.

A solution other countries can adopt soon.

Clearly this is a solution that other countries can copy, that’s right, Japan’s floating energy has made it clear that other countries can also implement this! All those countries like the United Kingdom, Spain or Italy, which have a very limited land space (because most of them are covered in water) are clear that they can improve the capacity to produce clean energy with this invention. The United Kingdom has already started the installation of floating solar photovoltaic plants in the reservoirs of Greater Manchester and it will be the largest in Europe once its construction is finished.

From the Renewable Energy Association of the United Kingdom, Ray Noble said that this technology is very simple, and that like Japan, the main motivation to create these parks is due to the fact that they have little availability of land. Well,

It seems that Japan has become quite the influencer in promoting floating solar farms, and before long, we’re likely to see them expanding worldwide!

Limits only exist if alternatives are not sought enough. Floating solar energy is already a reality that is here to stay and has incredible potential. Kyocera is undoubtedly laying the foundations for an even more sustainable future than we think. We are running out of time and we have to quickly turn to renewable energy, and all this without causing an impact on the biosphere of our planet. Is this the new beginning of a new energy era?