When solar floats: how water panels and robotics could rethink renewable energy
May 27th, 2025 • Martino De Mori
Across Europe's lakes and reservoirs, a new generation of solar panels is rising—floating, intelligent and ready to reshape the energy landscape. But to scale up, key challenges still need to be addressed.
On a calm industrial lake near Zwolle, in the heart of the Netherlands, rows of solar panels shimmer across the surface of the water. They float in silence, firmly anchored to the lakebed, absorbing sunlight while fish swim below and sand is dredged nearby for construction. Above and around them, a quiet revolution in renewable energy is taking shape.
Blauwvinger Energie, the local cooperative managing the Bomhofsplas floating solar park, is one of Europe's most innovative examples of sustainable energy production. "The key advantage is that we don't use agricultural land," explains Kees de Vries, chairman of the cooperative. "We're building solar capacity without taking space away from food production." But the advantages go beyond land preservation: "Every megawatt produced contributes to local sustainability funds," adds De Vries, "Over time, we're transferring ownership of the park to our residents."
That's no small feat in a region where land is scarce, precious and pricy, and under pressure from multiple demands. And this is not just a Dutch concern: the pressure on land for solar development is a pan-European issue. In 2023 alone, the European Union added nearly 56 gigawatts (GW) of new solar installations, reaching a total of 272.5 GW (338 GW estimated for 2024). But this growth comes with trade-offs: large-scale ground-mounted solar farms require extensive land areas, potentially clashing with agriculture and biodiversity.
Floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems offer a compelling solution. A study published in Nature estimates that covering just 10% of the world's hydropower reservoirs with FPV could generate as much electricity as all current fossil fuel plants combined—around 4 terawatts of power. This immense potential remains largely untapped. Why?
Floating solar has its own set of challenges, including higher costs for anchoring systems, waterproof cabling, floating structures and specialised maintenance operations compared to traditional ground-mounted PV installations. "Maintenance always requires reaching the panels by boat," says de Vries. "Anchoring and structural stability are costly and technically demanding. A recent storm forced us to re-anchor part of the park. It cost nearly €1 million in lost energy production". The consequences are clear: "This is not something small developers can easily afford. Without proper support, this technology may be unaffordable", de Vries adds.
Early warning systems, remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance could prevent many issues before they escalate. It's precisely these operational complexities that a new European initiative aims to address. Funded by the EU, TALOS, is developing an advanced robotic system designed to automate operations and maintenance (O&M) across different solar configurations—with a focus on FPV. "With floating solar, the problems of access and safety become even more significant", explains its coordinator Daniel Albuquerque, a Senior Project Manager at EDP, the biggest energy utility in Portugal. "We are developing a modular robotic system that combines AI, computer vision and sensor fusion to detect faults, perform inspections and execute cleaning operations remotely. The prototype includes a rail-mounted robot powered by solar energy, equipped with multispectral cameras, temperature and contact sensors and an AI hub to process real-time data and trigger precise interventions." One of the key testing grounds for this innovation is Alqueva, in southern Portugal, home to Europe's largest floating PV installation (11.322 solar modules). The pilot site currently delivers 5 MW of power and is set to expand to 89 MW, following a successful public tender. The scaled-up facility is expected to come online in 2029, marking a significant milestone in Europe's floating solar journey.
Launching its pilot in June 2025, TALOS unites 27 partners from 9 countries: engineers, AI experts and solar innovators. Their goal is to boost both efficiency and climate resilience. "It's not just automation," says Albuquerque. "It's about smarter, adaptive infrastructure—reducing human exposure to harsh sites and avoiding costly failures." This broader vision, however, goes beyond individual installations. As Europe races to meet its ambitious climate goals—including a target of 750 GW of solar capacity by 2030—every viable surface counts. Floating PV systems can alleviate land use pressures, integrate with existing water infrastructure, and even enhance energy output in hot climates thanks to the natural cooling effect of water. "We can also improve the working conditions for Operations & Maintenance personnel especially in hard-to-reach or hazardous locations," explains Albuquerque.
And yet, despite this potential, the market remains small. "Globally, only about 2.3 GW of floating solar has been installed," explains Lina Dubina, Policy Advisor at SolarPower Europe, a Brussels-based organisation advocating for solar power as Europe's main energy source. "In Europe, that figure is just 451 megawatts. Floating PV is still in its infancy. But it could play a big role in helping the EU reach its energy targets." According to Dubina, one major hurdle is the lack of a harmonised and comprehensive policy framework across EU Member States. "There's still an insufficient understanding that floating solar can offer real benefits", she says. "Policymakers need to see it not as competition for other water uses, but as a complementary solution. For instance, floating PV can coexist with recreational activities or be built on artificial reservoirs used for sand extraction."
The implications stretch far beyond Europe. According to the recent Recommendations on Onshore Floating PV report, interest in FPV is growing globally, especially in countries with land constraints or dense urbanisation. Permitting is one of the crucial bottlenecks: "There's not enough clarity on how to assess environmental impacts, or who owns the water bodies in question", Dubina comments. Sometimes there are multiple layers of ownership, which makes it hard for developers to know whom to approach for permits. "We need clear guidelines for spatial planning, impact assessments and water ownership. Developers often don't know whom to approach". Different water bodies—lakes vs. reservoirs—have varying ecological risks, but no shared standards. "Without policy support," she says, "floating solar stays niche. We need dedicated tenders to match its higher Capex (Capital Expenditure) and Opex (Operating Expense)."
Still, momentum is building. EU-funded pilots and developers' interest are growing. "Smart robotics can deliver long-term efficiency", says Albuquerque. "We're making solar cleaner, safer, and more sustainable". So, TALOS roadmap extends beyond June 2025: "After the pilot, we aim to validate the technology across multiple scenarios, including ground-mounted systems and semi-transparent solar panels installed above pear orchards, as in Randwijk" he adds. The long-term goal is to create a scalable, modular solution that can be adapted to different solar environments. But in the long run, the game is stepping up, both in terms of technical ambition and the scale of deployment scenarios his project aims to support: "We aim to adapt our platform to different environments. It's a toolkit for the solar world of tomorrow."
Back in Zwolle, the shimmering waters of Bomhofsplas remain a symbol of possibility. With the right mix of innovation, investment and policy reform, floating solar could move from a promising experiment to a pillar of Europe's energy future. One robot, one lake, one community at a time: "It's not science fiction," Kees de Vries sums up, "We're doing it already. Now we just need to scale it up." The road is not easy—and, as is often the case, it comes down to politics. "The risk," concludes Dubina, "is that without policy support, we stay stuck in the pilot phase. The opportunity is to make floating solar mainstream—and we shouldn't waste it."
Contacts
Project Coordinator:
Daniel Albuquerque, EDP
Communication & press contact:
Cesar G. Crisosto, ICONS
Journalist:
Martino De Mori
Website: https://talosproject.eu/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talos-eu-project/
Provided by iCube Programme