In September 2026, solar developer D3 Energy installed a large solar array, not on land or on a rooftop, but on the surface of a reservoir that serves the water needs of the village of Monroeville, Ohio.
This floating power plant covers 12 acres of the reservoir’s 16 acres. If a solar facility of this size, which contains 9,220 solar panels, were built on dry land, it would require 30 acres. So doing it the Monroeville way helps to keep open land available for farming, housing, business or industry, conservation land, or any other use.
This 6-megawatt installation is projected to generate about 7,500 megawatt-hours of clean electricity to this village of 1,300 residents. Monroeville has already operated a 4-megawatt ground-mounted solar array, built in 2017. This 10-megawatt total gives the town roughly 13 times as much solar-generated power per capita as the rest of Ohio. Their floating solar array is among the five largest in the U.S.
In addition to the clean power produced and the avoidance of using land that might be put toward other needed uses, Floato-voltaics projects such as this one have several other benefits.
First, the physical barrier created by the floating platforms significantly reduces water evaporation by blocking direct solar radiation and intercepting wind blowing across the water’s surface. Solar “on the water” thereby reduces evaporation by 30% to 80%, depending on temperatures and humidity in the immediate area. The result, depending upon the size of the floating power plant, is an annual savings of millions of gallons of valuable drinking and irrigation water.
Beyond clean power, floating solar arrays like Monroeville’s reduce reservoir water evaporation by 30% to 80% by blocking direct solar radiation and wind, saving millions of gallons of drinking and irrigation water annually. Photo courtesy of D3 Energy.
Second, by depriving the water of sunlight, there is a sizable reduction of toxic algal blooms. Photosynthetic organisms like blue-green algae require sunlight to thrive. By heavily shading parts of the reservoir, the concentrations of floating solar panels limit the light penetration needed for massive algal blooms. This naturally improves water quality, reducing expenses from chemical treatments needed to purify the water.
Third, more fish. During the warmer months, the floating platforms insulate the reservoir’s water against seasonal temperature spikes, helping support cold-water fish species. Local reservoirs are often favorite local fishing spots.
And fourth, cleaning issues. Land-based solar arrays, whether in farming or more urbanized areas, often deal with dust, dirt, and other airborne debris. For best panel performance, cleaning of their surfaces in these situations is advisable. Open bodies of water are inherently less affected by blowing dirt and dust, keeping the panels cleaner longer and reducing maintenance costs.
All things considered, with all the bodies of fresh water dotting the planet, maybe we should all look more closely for floato-voltaic opportunities just beyond our own backyard.
