Exploring the Synergy of Floating Photovoltaic Systems and Hydropower in California's Reservoirs

This study assesses the integration of floating solar panels (FPV) with existing hydropower plants with the goal of increasing the usage of the transmission infrastructure. Ten of California's largest reservoirs were selected. We quantify the increased electricity generation if the transmission lines are used for solar during the day and hydropower during the night. This increased generation is compared with the variability of the hydropower output during wet and dry years. The energy generated by FPV was found to be similar to the hydropower output in a dry year and also comparable to the variability of the hydropower generation, providing an opportunity to leverage existing infrastructure to increase solar generation and the value of the hydropower plant infrastructure.