Technoeconomic analysis of floating solar field for 1 GWh of electricity generation

This paper presents a technoeconomic evaluation of 1 GWh electricity generation using a floating solar PV (FSPV) system implemented on the Bakun Lake. Five PV brands are evaluated for 2×2, 3×3, 4×4 and 5×5 layout designs. The major factors used for the evaluations: total capital cost, total platform area, stability or percentage weight distribution, product warranty and PV efficiency. In total, 20 design scenarios are evaluated using a heuristic-based optimization approach to determine the best design. An optimization considering the total cost, coverage area and stability suggests that the 3x3 layout using Astronergy brand is the best design for the FSPV. However, a long-term analysis considering product warranty and efficiency reveals that the Panasonic brand is the most cost-effective after 40 years of operation. (paper)