Brazil has a strategic opportunity to boost its electricity grid using a technology that is still little explored here: floating solar energy. A study conducted by the consultancy PSR revealed that if just 1% of the area of the country's hydroelectric plant reservoirs were occupied by floating solar s, it would be possible to add up to 38 GW of installed capacity to the national electricity system.
In addition to avoiding the use of large areas of land, floating solar energy can be directly integrated with existing hydroelectric plants, sharing the transmission infrastructure and offering complementary production. During periods of intense sunlight, solar energy takes center stage, while on cloudy days or at night, hydroelectric generation can compensate. This synergy allows for more efficient and sustainable operation of the electrical system.
From an economic perspective, the study highlights both the potential and the challenges of floating solar energy. “The integration of hydroelectric plants with floating solar systems or those located near reservoirs is a strategic option for Brazil to advance the energy transition efficiently and sustainably. It is an opportunity to use existing infrastructure to rapidly expand the use of renewable sources,” said Rafael Kelman, executive director of PSR.
In scenarios with fixed electricity prices, the viable use of this technology would be 17 GW, a number that could reach 24 GW when considering the historical average of short-term market prices, a sign that its financial attractiveness tends to grow with more favorable market conditions.
However, this progress still faces a major obstacle regarding the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Currently, the LCOE of floating solar is around R$374 per MWh, above the R$343/MWh observed in terrestrial solar systems, a difference explained by the greater technical and operational complexity of installations on water.
This difference is mainly due to the technical complexity of installations in aquatic environments, which require robust floating structures, specific anchoring systems and greater care in operation and maintenance. Even with the still higher costs, experts believe that technological advances and economies of scale can reduce this difference in the coming years.
Furthermore, environmental benefits, such as reduced evaporation in reservoirs and the lack of need for deforestation to install s, reinforce the appeal of floating solar as a promising solution for a cleaner and more resilient energy future in Brazil.
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