A new home for solar panels?

Here comes the good news of solar panels, the engineers at TU Wien developed the Heliofloat, a creative solution to choppy waves and stormy skies.

When estimate how much solar energy can be collected for our house we usually measure the size of our roofs. The larger the roof , more panels can be installed, more energy output to the house. So space really matters when we talk about solar panels. How about putting them on the ocean? Of course not in the old days. But Heliofloats offer a platform to install the solar panels and they claimed that it has a huge potential with their ability to support installations as large as football fields.



Heliofloat System Solar Power:The flotation system is constructed differently from others, allowing the platform to withstand even heavy storms.

I think this invention will really make a different to our future renewable energy resources. I still remember John Blair mentions if you have to give a rating to the example between 1-10 , 1 is totally not sustainable while 10 is totally sustainable, I would give it a 8/10. Because besides the materials and energy used to make the platforms, I believe that if the installation and the maintenance are done correctly and regularly, the solar panels could be functioning  probably for quite a long period of time. And solar energy is actually a very clean energy that will not cause pollution to the ocean. If the Heliofloat really able to withstand the storm and waves in the ocean, I think it is a new and good choice to install the solar panels other than our roofs in the future.

Reference:

New tech could keep solar panels afloat on the ocean - even during storms. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2016, from http://inhabitat.com/new-tech-could-keep-solar-panels-afloat-on-the-ocean-even-during-storms/heliofloat-solar-panels-on-ocean/