Floating photovoltaic plant installed at Mortkasee artificial lake

RWE, Fraunhofer ISE and BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg present “PV2Float” research project to public. Three different systems being tested with capacity of about 30 kW each; pilot plant to operate for up to three years. Focus on technical refinement of photovoltaic (PV) systems, public acceptance and environmental compatibility. Research project sponsored by German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Photovoltaic installations on roofs or in fields is nothing unusual. However, it is probably not widely known that solar installations can also float. That may be about to change, as more than 190 floating solar modules have been installed on the Mortkasee artificial lake in Lohsa, Saxony. This joint project between RWE, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) and Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) investigates the extent to which floating solar islands can be implemented and operated in harmony with aquatic ecology. The project is being sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

The plant was officially inaugurated today in the presence of guests from the worlds of science, industry and politics, including representatives of the Saxon Ministry of Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture, and Thomas Leberecht, the mayor of Lohsa. Interested citizens also had the opportunity to learn about floating solar islands and the “PV2Float” research project. 

Thomas Leberecht, mayor of the Lohsa municipality: “Originally created by flooding the Werminghoff opencast lignite mine, the Mortkasee artificial lake has become one of the first research sites for floating solar islands in Germany. This technology promises a higher power yield, since the cold water can have a positive impact on the efficiency of the solar modules. Another advantage is that previously unused mine lakes, which are not intended to be used for recreation, can be developed for green electricity generation. That offers major potential for the energy transition in Germany and here in our region.”

Solar modules learn to float

Three different floating solar islands have been installed on the Mortkasee. With a rated capacity of about 30 kilowatts each, these are relatively small, but still provide important insights into the benefits of various technological solutions, how costs can be reduced, and how larger, future floating solar installations can be implemented in harmony with the environment. The research plant on the Mortkasee will operate until the end of 2027.

Experienced partners from science and industry

RWE, Fraunhofer ISE and BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg are the three expert partners driving this research project forward. RWE has many years of experience in the construction and operation of utility-scale solar plants and already operates a floating photovoltaic plant on a former cooling water lake in the Netherlands. Fraunhofer ISE is Europe’s largest solar research institute. It develops solutions for floating photovoltaics and other integrated photovoltaic technologies, in addition to carrying out research into public acceptance of these technologies. BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg has extensive scientific expertise in the field of aquatic ecology.