Germany has unveiled a world-first in renewable energy: a vertical floating solar power plant. The pioneering 1.87 MW facility, developed by German company SINN Power, is installed on the Jais gravel pit lake in Bavaria, marking a significant step forward for solar technology deployment on inland waters.
Unlike traditional floating solar systems where panels are angled toward the south, this innovative plant utilizes vertically mounted, bifacial solar panels oriented East-West. This design offers several key advantages:
Stable Generation: The vertical orientation captures morning sun on one side and evening sun on the other, resulting in a more consistent and stable power output throughout the day, better matching typical residential and industrial consumption peaks.
Space Efficiency and Ecology: The system covers only 4.65% of the lake’s surface, remaining well below Germany’s environmental limits. The open water corridors between the vertical rows allow sunlight and oxygen to reach the water, which initial monitoring suggests is having a neutral to positive effect on the aquatic ecosystem.
Storm Resistance: The patented floating platform, known as SKipp, features a stabilizing keel that extends below the water, allowing the structure to flex and remain stable under wind loads and water level fluctuations.
The plant is expected to generate approximately 2 GWh of clean electricity annually. During its initial phase, it has already helped the adjacent gravel operation reduce its reliance on grid electricity by nearly 60%.
The project, which received high-level support from Bavarian political leaders, demonstrates a scalable model for generating clean power from artificial water bodies like quarry lakes, opening up new potential for decentralized energy generation worldwide.
