Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026
14:57
Structural Design and Manufacturing of a Cruiser Class Solar Vehicle
Published on: January 30, 2019
Machine learning-based long-term degradation and LCOE Analysis of floating PV with custom pontoon design
Roby Mohajon1, Md Rabiul Islam Polash1, Md Nabil Shahriar1
1Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Barishal Engineering College, University of Dhaka, North Durgapur, Barishal, Bangladesh.
Plos One
|July 14, 2026
Summary
Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) systems offer a viable solar energy solution for land-scarce regions. This study confirms the technical, environmental, and economic feasibility of an FPV plant in a Bangladeshi wetland, retaining significant aquatic photosynthesis potential.
Area of Science:
- Renewable Energy Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Ecosystem Management
Background:
- Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) systems present a promising solution for solar energy generation in land-limited areas.
- However, concerns regarding performance degradation, ecological impact, and economic viability hinder widespread adoption.
- Wetland ecosystems, crucial for biodiversity, face unique challenges for integrating such technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the eco-compatibility, technical feasibility, environmental sustainability, and economic viability of a 5 MW FPV solar plant in a Bangladeshi wetland.
- To validate the structural integrity of a novel light-permeable pontoon design.
- To predict long-term performance and environmental impacts over a 25-year operational lifespan.
Main Methods:
- Developed a system-level simulation model incorporating hydrostatic buoyancy and stability tests for pontoon validation.
- Assessed ecological compatibility using a light-transmission-based photosynthetic viability model.
- Predicted long-term performance degradation and energy yield using a climate-aware machine learning framework and an inflation-sensitive economic model for Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE).
Main Results:
- Achieved an average performance ratio of 82.4% with lifecycle energy outputs of approximately 222 GWh.
- Calculated an LCOE of 0.0315 USD/kWh, indicating economic viability.
- Retained approximately 70% of aquatic photosynthesis potential and projected elimination of 104,149.5 tCO₂ over the plant's lifetime.
Conclusions:
- The 5 MW FPV system is technically feasible, environmentally sustainable, and economically viable for wetland integration in Bangladesh.
- The light-permeable pontoon design supports structural integrity and minimizes ecological disruption.
- FPV deployment in wetlands can significantly contribute to renewable energy targets while preserving essential ecosystem functions.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Root-Locus Method
A cruise control system in a car is designed to maintain a specified speed automatically by adjusting the gas pedal. The system continuously measures the vehicle's speed and makes fine adjustments to the pedal to achieve this goal. The root locus method is particularly useful for understanding how the cruise control system's behavior changes under varying conditions, such as when the car goes uphill, downhill, or faces strong wind resistance.
This system can be represented by a block diagram,...
This system can be represented by a block diagram,...
01:11Buoyancy and Stability for Submerged and Floating Bodies
In fluid mechanics, buoyancy and stability are key concepts for understanding the behavior of submerged and floating bodies. When a stationary body is fully or partially submerged in a fluid, the fluid exerts a force on the body known as the buoyant force. This force acts vertically upward through a point called the center of buoyancy, which is the center of the displaced fluid volume. According to Archimedes' principle, the magnitude of the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the fluid...
01:25Multimachine Stability
Multimachine stability analysis is crucial for understanding the dynamics and stability of power systems with multiple synchronous machines. The objective is to solve the swing equations for a network of M machines connected to an N-bus power system.
In analyzing the system, the nodal equations represent the relationship between bus voltages, machine voltages, and machine currents. The nodal equation is given by:
In analyzing the system, the nodal equations represent the relationship between bus voltages, machine voltages, and machine currents. The nodal equation is given by:
01:24Wind Turbine Machine Models
In the growing field of wind energy, incorporating wind turbine models into transient stability analysis is essential. Induction and synchronous machines are the primary models used, with induction machines being prevalent due to their simplicity and reliability.
Induction machines interact through the rotating magnetic field generated by the stator and the rotor. The key parameter is slip, which is the difference between synchronous speed and rotor speed relative to synchronous speed. Slip is...
Induction machines interact through the rotating magnetic field generated by the stator and the rotor. The key parameter is slip, which is the difference between synchronous speed and rotor speed relative to synchronous speed. Slip is...
01:14Node Analysis for AC Circuits
Consider an angioplasty system featuring a catheter equipped with a turbine, a critical tool for removing plaque deposits from coronary arteries. This intricate medical device operates using a circuit model reminiscent of a dual-node RLC circuit powered by a current-controlled voltage source.
To unravel the complexities of this system, nodal analysis is employed, a powerful technique founded on Kirchhoff's current law (KCL), which remains valid for phasors. AC circuits can effectively be...
To unravel the complexities of this system, nodal analysis is employed, a powerful technique founded on Kirchhoff's current law (KCL), which remains valid for phasors. AC circuits can effectively be...
01:21Design Example: Creating a Hydraulic Model of a Dam Spillway
Scaled hydraulic models of dam spillways provide a practical way to replicate and study the intricate flow dynamics of these structures. Often built to a 1:15 ratio, these models allow for observing critical water behavior, such as velocity distribution, flow patterns, and energy dissipation.