Analysis of Sites’ Suitability for Floating Photovoltaic Plants on a National Scale and Assessment of the Decarbonization Potential

Virginia Marini, Daniele Fabrizio Bignami () and Giovanni Menduni
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Virginia Marini: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
Daniele Fabrizio Bignami: Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
Giovanni Menduni: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-18

Abstract: Given the current global context, in which emissions’ reduction to mitigate climate change is a primary concern, the use of new clean technologies is being explored. Floating photovoltaics (FPV), given their many advantages, such as increased efficiency and water savings, were examined here originally to estimate on a national scale their potential contribution to decarbonisation. Thus, our study assesses whether Italy is a suitable territory for hosting FPV plants on bodies of water. The analysis consisted of two phases: a selection of suitable bodies of water and a subsequent prioritization using scores. To perform these, predisposing factors were first determined. In parallel, quarry lakes on Italian plains were identified because they could be redeveloped by installing FPV plants. Other analyses, moreover, allowed us to estimate that, in the best scenario, there could be up to 507 plants larger than one hectare, which could come to satisfy almost 3% of the annual electricity demand and could save more than 4.6 million tons of CO 2 in one year. These results allow us to conclude that it is indeed possible to use this technology in Italy, marking a big step in terms of innovation.

Keywords: FPV; body of water; decarbonization; predisposing factors; quarry lakes; hierarchization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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