UNSW SPREE 202405-31 Carlos Rodriguez - Floating photovoltaics (FPV) systems: A worldwide view

UNSW School of Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy Engineering
On the status, potential and challenges of floating photovoltaics (FPV) systems: A worldwide and Australian perspective
Carlos Rodriguez
RINA Tech Renewables Australia
31 May 2024
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ABSTRACT
Floating photovoltaics (FPV) systems have emerged over the past years as a promising renewable solution which have captured the attention of multiple markets resulting in their exponential yearly installation capacity. FPV presents various advantages such as higher performance due to an enhanced cooling effect, water savings, minimum land requirement, among others.
Nevertheless, these still present valid challenges and concerns including environmental impacts, buoyancy efficacy and system degradation. In this presentation, the overall status of FPV systems will be discussed together with their key characteristics considering worldwide conditions and deployments while also analyzing their applicability in the Australian market.
BRIEF BIO
Dr Carlos Rodriguez is the Head of Yield and Performance - Australasia for RINA Tech Renewables Australia, a consultancy-based company. He is a seasoned Electrical Engineer specializing in Solar Energy Engineering, boasting a 12-year track record in renewable energy systems. With a degree in Electrical Engineering, his expertise lies in the research and development of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Carlos has undertaken several consulting assignments in yield assessment, technical feasibility studies, and due diligence for PV systems, with a total accumulated capacity above 1 GWp.
Formerly with the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore, Carlos spearheaded a team of researchers, engineers, and PhD students. He has led diverse projects, including real-time monitoring systems for PV systems, analytical monitoring for remote diagnostics, high-performance PV systems tailored for different climates, PV module and system testing, and the analysis of long-term performance factors like degradation and soiling. Carlos has contributed to projects globally including in South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. He has published over 80 scientific papers achieving more than 1900 citations.