Water surface photovoltaic along long-distance water diversion projects and its co-benefits

Abstract

As the world encounters insufficient fossil energy and worsening environmental pollution, the significant potential of water surface photovoltaic (WSPV) systems and the remarkable benefits are crucial to promoting cleaner production and sustainable development. This paper proposes installing overhead WSPVs along the open channels of long-distance water diversion projects (WDPs), creating new opportunities for the adaptive traceability and utilization of energy–water resources. A multi-objective decision model for the feasibility evaluation of WSPVs is presented and applied to typical WDPs in China to demonstrate the effects of this modeling framework and explore the co-benefits of WSPV systems. The results indicate that: (1) it is economically and technically feasible to install WSPVs over MLSNWDP with a suggested tilt angle range of 10°–12°; (2) the proposed WSPVs in the eight typical projects evaluated using the decision model with a capacity of 29,486 MW can convert 37,263 GWh of electricity at a 12° tilt angle while saving 3.19 × 108 m3 of water annually; (3) the adaptive utilization of the saved water and electricity can increase the ecological water level guarantee rate of Baiyang Lake by 12.64%, alleviating potential eco-environmental problems. Moreover, a recommended coverage rate of 50% is proposed to inhibit algae outbreaks. Overall, this research demonstrates the technical and economic feasibility of the construction of WSPVs along WDPs and the co-benefits to address challenging research questions on the sustainable development of energy–water resources.