Floating solar panels: a sustainable solution to meet energy demands and combat climate change in offshore regions

The escalation in energy demand due to the rising population highlights the need for the transition toward sustainable power generation alternatives. In this context, floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) systems emerge as an innovative and environmentally friendly alternative, offering the dual benefits of energy generation and conservation of terrestrial resources. Based on ERA5 datasets, an in-depth analysis of the potential and efficiency of FPV systems, specifically within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), is conducted in this study. Findings of this study evidence the substantial capacity of the Indian EEZ that could yield energy that is equivalent to 43 times of annual consumption by utilizing 10% of the EEZ region. A full-scale utilization of the EEZ for FPV systems could revolutionize the energy landscape, potentially generating 433 times the country's present annual energy requirements. A complete transition to such renewable energy sources within the EEZ is projected to result in an annual reduction of 595 billion metric tons in carbon emissions.