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REC, a leading global provider of solar energy solutions, has completed tests to confirm that its solar panels can be deployed in floating solar installations to the same standards of reliability, performance and quality as on rooftops or in ground-mounted installations.
REC points out that while the cost of solar technology continues to fall and is beginning to reach grid parity in more and more regions around the world, the greatest barrier to expansion might be acreage. No matter how much sunshine they enjoy, countries and regions where space is at a premium, such as Japan, the US east coast, England, and Hong Kong, need to be more flexible in terms of solar applications.
It maintains that the total installed capacity of solar photovoltaic is expected to increase to 4,600 gigawatts (GW) by 2050 from 150 GW today. REC suggests that with projects sized from a few kilowatts to several megawatts, floating solar installations could power thousands of households, and enable otherwise underused artificial freshwater bodies to double up as real estate for floating solar installations.
