Officials in China recently announced the construction of a huge 1.8-gigawatt floating solar energy project in the Bohai Sea. Once completed, the solar project — located off the coast of Hebei province — could help fill the energy needs of one of China’s biggest cities.
According to PV Magazine, the $2.2 billion project is a collaboration between four state-owned companies. It will cover about 6.5 square miles of ocean using four different solar installation methods, effectively serving as a large-scale test of floating solar technology.
The project is expected to guide the design and construction of future offshore solar farms as China continues to expand its green energy initiatives, informing officials on the best installation methods. Experts estimate offshore solar could supply over 10% of China’s clean energy growth by 2030, according to PV Magazine.
The project is currently slated for completion by mid-2026. Once operational, the solar installation is expected to generate about 2.75 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to supply nearly half the power used in the nearby city of Qinhuangdao. It is also expected to reduce local coal usage by about 920,000 tons, cutting over 2 million tons of carbon pollution annually. The solar project is projected to create around 2,000 local jobs and generate over $140 million in annual industrial output, per PV Magazine.
Large-scale solar farm projects — including this major solar installation in the Bohai Sea — can greatly benefit both local communities and the planet. By producing energy from the sun’s rays, solar energy projects drive down long-term energy costs, helping to stabilize prices for consumers. Solar power also helps strengthen the electrical grid by adding locally produced, reliable power and reducing the risk of outages. Increasing local energy production in this way promotes energy independence, making communities less dependent on dirty fuels and global price fluctuations. Beyond cost savings, solar farms replace coal and gas, slashing pollution and creating healthier, cleaner air for everyone.
While global powers work on expanding access to community solar, you can benefit from solar power now by installing your own home solar. Installing solar panels is the ultimate home energy hack, potentially cutting your electricity costs to $0. EnergySage offers a free service that makes comparing quotes from trusted local installers easy and saves up to $10,000 on solar installations.
Going solar also makes running other money-saving electric appliances, like clean energy heat pumps, even cheaper. If you’re ready to switch to a heat pump, Mitsubishi can help you find the right affordable heat pump for your home.
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