Every year, high temperatures and solar radiation cause the evaporation of millions of litres of water from Spanish reservoirs. Floating solar panels offer an innovative solution to limit this effect. By creating a layer of shade over the water, the panels reduce exposure to the sun and contribute to the conservation of this resource. Additionally, their location in aquatic environments improves their efficiency, as they operate at more stable temperatures and avoid dust accumulation, outperforming conventional panels on land.
Countries like France, Portugal, and the Netherlands already promote this technology. In Spain, the Sierra Brava reservoir in Extremadura was the site of the first pilot for a floating photovoltaic plant connected to the grid in 2020. It is estimated that there are at least 100 state-owned reservoirs where these panels could be installed. In fact, in 2024, a regulatory framework was approved to facilitate their deployment, limiting their extension to a maximum of 15% of the reservoir’s surface and establishing environmental controls to prevent water and ecosystem degradation.
However, innovation does not stop here. Floating solar panels can also be used to develop aquaculture. In China, they are already being used to cultivate species such as sea cucumbers. What if, in the future, we do the same in Spain? We could install solar platforms that, in addition to producing renewable electricity, promote oyster farming, combining water saving, clean energy, and sustainable aquaculture in a single space.
For more information, see: Acciona. "Flotante Sierra Brava. La primera planta fotovoltaica flotante conectada a red en España." Acciona; Guo, Shuang, et al. "Integrating photovoltaic with sea cucumber aquaculture: Environmental impacts and holothurian digestion and aestivation." Aquaculture Reports 4, 2025; Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico. "El Gobierno aprueba el real decreto que regula la instalación de plantas fotovoltaicas flotantes en embalses en el dominio público hidráulico." MITECO; Nora. "MMOI - The Mar Menor Oyster Initiative Knowledge and Tools for a Future Oyster Restoration Action." Nora; TNO innovation for life. "Floating solar panels." TNO innovation for life; y Vidović, Vladimir, et al. "Review of the potentials for implementation of floating solar panels on lakes and water reservoirs." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 178, 2023.