Theoretical analysis of reservoir-based floating photovoltaic plant for 15-khordad dam in Delijan

The current study presents the design features and photovoltaic requirements of a floating photovoltaic plant (FPVP) whose purpose is to reduce the evaporation from the surface of a water reservoir while generating electricity. A summary of the energy budget method is also introduced to calculate the rate of evaporation from the water reservoir behind 15-Khordad dam. The top of the reservoir has a surface area about 1.59 km2 but only 2% of it has been covered with the proposed FPVP with a stated capacity of 1.45 MWdc. The study proves that covering even a small percentage of the reservoir’s surface has a significant effect on the amount of water saved annually. Finally, the average water saved monthly due to FPVP, the electricity generated by the system in the first year, and the CO2 balance of the facility are calculated based on meteorological data of Delijan.