Evaluating the Potential of Using Floating Solar Photovoltaic on 12 Reservoirs of Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand Hydropower Plants

Abstract

Owing to the energy crisis in Thailand, alternative energy, especially solar energy, must be utilized. According to the PDP (Thailand Power Development Plan), EGAT (Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand) has to use floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) in several dams. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential of using FPV on 12 reservoirs of EGAT hydropower plants in Thailand without affecting the normal operation of hydropower plants. The benefits of the FPV plant are analysed in terms of energy generation using the Perez 1990 algorithm, evaporation reduction using Shuttleworth 1993 algorithm, economic analysis, and greenhouse gas emission reduction. The analysis results are simulated based on the maximum coverage area of FPV that does not influence the normal operation of each reservoir. Based on the amount of energy production of all the considered 12 dams, the Srinagarind Dam can generate the highest power. In the Ubol Ratana dam, the water evaporates at the highest rate. In terms of investment, the production cost mainly depends on the plane of array (POA) of solar irradiance in each dam.