40GW floating solar potential by 2050
Floating solar is suggested as one of the UK’s largest unexplored sources of energy.
Report analysis shows it has the potential to deliver over 40GW of capacity by 2050.
Floating solar could deliver over 40GW of clean power by 2050, commissioned by Bluefield (one of the UK’s largest owners and operators of utility scale solar), includes analysis provided by independent consultancy CBI Economics.
It identifies floating solar as a major opportunity to boost domestic generation, strengthen energy security and support the UK’s transition to a more resilient power system.
The report suggests floating solar can be deployed quickly and close to centres of demand, reducing pressure on the grid and complementing the UK’s wider energy mix.
In a supportive policy environment, the report finds floating solar could scale to:
- 3.6GW by 2030 – enough to power a city the size of Birmingham
- 18.3GW by 2040 – equivalent to the output of around 11 large UK gas power stations
- 40GW+ by 2050 – comparable to the UK’s entire current offshore wind fleet
The report identifies significant opportunities for water companies and industrial users exposed to wholesale price volatility, providing:
- long‑term price stability through private‑wire arrangements
- reduced operating costs
- lower emissions
- new revenue streams to support customer and environmental outcomes
Bluefield already operates the UK’s largest floating solar installation at the Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir, where clean power is supplied directly to the adjacent water treatment works.
The company is now advancing a pipeline of utility scale floating solar projects across the country through its development arm.
It is suggested floating solar can deliver a range of environmental benefits, including:
- reduced evaporation losses, supporting drought resilience
- lower surface water temperatures and improved water quality
- reduced algal blooms
- higher panel efficiency due to natural cooling
Michael Shanks MP, Minister for Energy in the Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero, says: ‘It’s time Britain stopped letting our solar potential float on by. For too long, we have failed to harness the huge potential of our reservoirs for floating solar.’
