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According to a report from PV-Tech, Enervest has started building a floating solar array at the Wannon Waters Brierly Basin site. The installation will have a capacity of 500kW and is set to become the country’s largest floating solar project when finished later this year.
The project involves an investment of two million Australian dollars. It will use around 1,200 bifacial solar modules placed on floating platforms within the raw water storage basin. This configuration is expected to produce over 600,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy each year.
The generated power is intended to offset electricity costs for pumping water from the basin to a treatment plant. This plant provides water to several local communities. The basin itself stores raw water sourced from multiple origins, including a roofwater harvesting system that collects runoff from various buildings and facilities in the area.
The choice of bifacial module technology is noted as an optimization for the floating environment. This approach allows the modules to capture light from above and from reflections off the water’s surface. Project documentation indicates this design improves system efficiency and eases maintenance compared to standard single-sided modules.
While this project will be the largest of its kind in Australia, its scale is described as modest relative to international floating solar developments in several Asian markets, where projects have reached capacities of hundreds of megawatts.
The solar array specifically addresses a highly energy-intensive operation for the water utility. Water must be pumped uphill for treatment, creating significant electricity demand that has been flagged as a priority for reducing emissions. Wannon Water has a stated goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030, and this project is a central part of that strategy.
The installation is forecast to cut the utility’s greenhouse gas emissions by more than 600 tonnes annually. This reduction is expected to yield both environmental and economic benefits through lower purchases of grid electricity.
Opting for a floating solar system over a ground-mounted one leverages existing water infrastructure. The open water surface at the basin offers a suitable area for deployment without needing additional land or conflicting with other land uses. Potential secondary benefits of such installations can include lowered water evaporation and reduced algae growth, though specific measurements of these effects for this project have not been provided.
The development adds to a growing number of planned floating solar installations on Australian water bodies, though the sector is still in early stages compared to ground-mounted solar. Interest in the technology has been increasing among water utilities, mining operations, and irrigation districts who see the potential for dual use of water surfaces.
In the previous year, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency supported a national floating solar initiative worth 13 million Australian dollars. That program was designed to demonstrate the technology’s viability across diverse water bodies and climates, tackling questions about performance, durability, and integration with water management. International technology providers have also moved to establish partnerships in Australia, citing the country’s extensive water infrastructure and strong solar resources as favourable for the economics of floating solar.
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