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Floating solar plant installed over reservoir in Victoria combines renewable energy generation, emission reduction, and support for potable water supply, in a project that expands the use of aquatic surfaces to cut operational costs in the Australian water sector.
Wannon Water has completed a 500 kW floating solar plant in Warrnambool, in the Australian state of Victoria, installed over the Brierly Basin reservoir, with a projected capacity to generate over 600,000 kWh per year and reduce emissions by more than 600 tons of greenhouse gases annually.
The project, developed by Enervest, comprises 1,260 bifacial solar panels on floating structures in the reservoir used by the utility for water supply.
The installation was presented as one of the largest floating solar installations in Australia and is part of the company’s strategy to cut operational costs and expand the use of renewable energy.
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Floating solar energy reduces water pumping costs
The main function of the plant is to offset part of the energy consumed in pumping water from Brierly Basin to Wannon Water’s treatment station, which serves residents and businesses in Warrnambool, Allansford, and Koroit.
This operation requires large electrical consumption because the water needs to be pumped uphill to the treatment unit.
Therefore, generation at the reservoir itself was considered more advantageous than installation in areas where supply occurs by gravity.
According to Wannon Water, the system is expected to improve the energy efficiency of the operation and ease expenses related to potable water supply.
The company’s general manager, Steven Waterhouse, stated that initiatives like this help keep costs under control.
“Projects like this help us use energy more efficiently and keep costs low, which means better value for our customers,” said Waterhouse.
Bifacial panels harness light reflected by water
The modules used in the plant are bifacial, a technology that allows capturing solar radiation from the top and also harnessing light reflected by the water surface.
This design increases the yield of the set compared to panels that receive light only on one side.
The equipment was installed on pontoons made of high-density polyethylene, a material used in floating structures for its resistance to water and prolonged exposure to the external environment.
In the case of Brierly Basin, the surface of the reservoir now serves a dual function: storing raw water and generating clean electricity for local operations.
In addition to producing energy, the partial coverage formed by the panels reduces the direct incidence of sunlight on the water surface.
This effect can help reduce evaporation losses, although Wannon Water mainly highlights the energy, economic, and environmental benefits of the project.
Wannon Water expands renewable generation in reservoirs
The Brierly Basin plant has become the largest floating solar system ever installed by Wannon Water.
Before this, the utility already operated a 250 kW plant at the Warrnambool Water Treatment Plant and two 100 kW systems at the Hamilton Water Treatment Plant.
With the new unit, the company reinforces its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2030.
The estimated reduction of more than 600 tons per year directly contributes to this plan and adds to other energy efficiency initiatives in the Australian water sector.
The construction, which began in March 2026, was contracted for about AU$ 2 million, equivalent to approximately US$ 1.4 million at the disclosed conversion rate.
Completion occurred in May 2026, within the schedule provided by the utility for the project.
Australia accelerates the use of solar energy over reservoirs
The project in Warrnambool is part of a broader movement of interest in floating solar energy in Australia.
Water companies, farmers, irrigation districts, and industrial operations have started to evaluate reservoirs, ponds, and dams as useful areas for renewable generation without occupying productive land.
The technology has attracted attention because it combines electricity production with the potential reduction of water losses in regions prone to drought.
In countries heavily reliant on irrigation and open reservoirs, evaporation represents a significant economic and environmental concern.
In 2025, the project Novel Energy and Evaporative Storage Technologies for Irrigators, known by the acronym NEESTI, advanced in the country.
The initiative, led by AgEcon Australia with support from the Cotton Research and Development Corporation, seeks to evaluate the use of floating solar panels in agricultural irrigation dams.
The program has an announced budget of AU$ 13 million and received AU$ 6 million from the Future Drought Fund, an Australian federal government fund aimed at drought resilience.
The proposal is to study technical, economic, regulatory, and legal aspects to enable a floating solar energy market in the field.
The research also targets sectors with high water and energy consumption, including cotton and other irrigated crops.
One of the points evaluated is the possibility of using floating structures to reduce direct exposure of water to the sun, while producers generate electricity for their own use or sale.
International partnerships test new floating solar models
The Australian market has also started receiving solutions from foreign companies specialized in floating solar energy.
Norwegian company Ocean Sun announced a partnership with Canopy Power Australia to introduce circular systems based on floating membranes.
The technology disclosed by the companies uses structures about 70 meters in diameter, with an approximate capacity of 700 kWp per unit.
In this model, the modules are supported on a membrane that maintains thermal contact with the water, which can favor heat dissipation and improve panel performance.
Ocean Sun claims that this design can increase energy yield compared to traditional systems, although performance depends on installation, operation, and maintenance conditions.
The partnership targets different types of clients, such as water companies, farms, energy companies, and projects in remote areas.
Meanwhile, projects like Brierly Basin show a more immediate application of the technology in the public essential services sector.
By installing panels over existing reservoirs, utilities can generate electricity near the point of consumption and reduce cost pressure in energy-intensive activities.
In the case of Wannon Water, the floating solar plant does not replace the supply infrastructure but complements the treatment and pumping operation.
The combination of reservoir, local generation, and emission reduction explains why the technology has gained ground in regions needing to balance water security, cost control, and energy transition.
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