Duke Energy completes its first floating solar project in Florida
In Florida, Duke Energy said its first floating solar project in Florida is now producing renewable energy while helping the company better understand the capabilities of innovative clean energy technologies. The almost 1-megawatt floating solar array features more than 1,800 solar panels that float on top of 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 can produce 10%-20% more power than their single-sided counterparts, the company said. The project took approximately six months to construct and connect to the grid. The pilot is part of Duke Energy’s Vision Florida program, which is designed to test innovative 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.
