Massive arrays of floating solar panels near the Equator, on calm seas, could supply virtually unlimited solar power to densely-populated countries in Southeast Asia or West Africa.
You can also find out more about us on our website. New ResearchThe study shows that offshore solar alone in Indonesia could produce about 35,000 Terawatt-hours of solar energy per year. This is comparable to the current global electricity production.30 TWh per annum).
While the majority of the oceans in the world are affected by storms, certain regions near the Equator remain calm and tranquil. To protect floating solar panels, relatively cheap engineering structures may be sufficient.
You can also find out more about us on our website. High-resolution heat maps around the worldThe Indonesian archipelago, and equatorial west Africa near Nigeria are the two regions with the most potential for offshore floating arrays.
Solar power will be the norm by mid-century
On current trends the global economy is expected to be mostly decarbonised by 2050. Solar and wind energy can provide vast amounts of energy.
Solar panels covering 70 square kilometres can meet the needs of one million people living in an economy with zero carbon emissions. Panels can be installed on roofs, in arid regions, alongside agriculture or on water bodies.
Countries with high populations densities such as Nigeria and IndonesiaSolar energy harvesting space is limited in.
Wind resources are also poor due to their tropical location at the “doldrum latitudes”. Fortunately, these countries – and their neighbours – can harvest effectively unlimited energy from solar panels floating on calm equatorial seas.
You can also install floating solar panels on reservoirs and lakes. Solar floating inlandThe company has great potential and it is growing fast.
You can also find out more about us on our website. Recent Released PaperSurveys of the oceans around the world are being conducted to identify regions where there haven’t been large waves or strong wind for the last 40 years. In such areas, floating solar panels do not need expensive and strong engineering defences.
Up to one million TWh of energy could be generated in regions with waves less than six metres and winds below 15m per second. This is about five times as much energy per year as would be required to support a global economy that was fully decarbonised and supported by 10 billion wealthy people.
Near the Equator and in west Africa, Indonesia and Indonesia are the best sites. These are areas with high levels of population growth, and also high environmental values. Marine floating solar panels can help resolve land-use conflict.
Indonesia has huge solar energy potential
Indonesia is densely populated, especially on the islands Java, Bali, and Sumatra. Indonesia may have a population of over 900 million by the mid-20th century. 315 million people.
Fortunately, Indonesia has The vast solar energy potentialAlso vast pumped hydro energy storage potentialSolar energy can be stored overnight.
Solar power would need to cover 25,000 sq km in order to decarbonise the economy and support an Indonesian society that is wealthy.
Indonesia can float large numbers of solar panels in its calm inland waters. The region has about 140,000 square km of seascape that has not experienced waves larger than 4m – nor winds stronger than 10m per second – in the past 40 years.
Indonesian maritime area is 6.4 million sq km, which is 200 times bigger than what would be required if Indonesia were to use its entire land surface. Future energy needsThe floating solar panels were a great success.
Offshore floating solar: the future of offshore energy
The majority of the seascapes on earth experience waves greater than 10m in height and winds exceeding 20m per second. A number of companies are trying to create engineering defenses that will allow floating offshore panels to tolerate storms. The equator has a more benign marine environment that requires less expensive and robust defences.
We have found the most suitable regions cluster within 5–12 degrees of latitude of the Equator, principally in and around the Indonesian archipelago and in the Gulf of Guinea near Nigeria. These regions are characterized by a low wind potential, a high population density, rapid population growth and a large amount of intact ecosystems. Tropical storms seldom affect equatorial region.
The offshore floating-solar industry is just getting started. There are some disadvantages to offshore panels compared to onshore ones, such as salt corrosion and marine fouling. For anchoring the solar panels to the seabed, shallow waters are preferable. A special attention is needed to minimize damage to the marine ecosystem and fishing. Global warming can also affect wind and waves patterns.
We believe that offshore floating panels can be a major part of energy mixes for countries in the equatorial region with calm seas. Around a billion people will be reliant on solar power by mid-century in these countries, causing the Fastest energy change in History. 
Andrew BlakersProfessor of Engineering Australian National UniversityYou can also find out more about the following: David Firnando SilalahiSchool of Engineering Phd Candidate Australian National University
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