South America's floating solar potential: 38 TWh per million acres, says new study

A new study from Soham Ghosh, Anik Goswami, and Krishna Kumba, posted on arXiv, explores the massive untapped potential of floating solar photovoltaics (FSPV) in South America. The region boasts one of the highest global FSPV potentials—approximately 38.26 TWh per million acres of water surface—yet deployment remains minimal. The paper introduces a techno-socio-economic framework to evaluate FSPV for improving energy access, water security, and grid flexibility.

Using detailed case studies from Nicaragua (El Cajon), Honduras, and Guyana, the authors estimate that systems ranging from 50 to 398 MW can achieve annual yields exceeding 1,500 to 2,000 kWh per kW, with capacity factors above 20%. At El Cajon, switching from fossil generation to FSPV could significantly cut emissions. The analysis shows that FSPV costs become competitive with land-based PV when factoring in avoided land use, shared hydropower infrastructure, and water conservation benefits.

The framework also highlights the synergy of co-locating FSPV with existing hydropower plants and AI data centers, creating a scalable model for underserved regions. With 63 pages, 20 tables, and 18 figures, the study provides a comprehensive blueprint for policymakers and investors to accelerate floating solar deployment across South America.