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Solar Farm on the Ocean : The Pros and Cons of China's Largest Offshore Solar Project

How To Protect The Ocean

Release Date: 11/22/2024

The Power of Podcasting for Ocean Science Communication show art The Power of Podcasting for Ocean Science Communication

How To Protect The Ocean

Podcasting has been part of Andrew Lewin's life for 11 years, and in this episode he explains why he thinks more people working in ocean science and conservation should be doing it too. He walks through what makes long-form audio and video different from the short clips discussed in yesterday's episode: the ability to sit with complex topics, tell a full story, and reach an audience that's multitasking, whether they're walking the dog, working out, or gardening while listening. Andrew gets specific about what podcasting actually requires. He covers how titles and the first several seconds of...

info_outline Short-Form Content for Ocean Awareness: What Actually Works show art Short-Form Content for Ocean Awareness: What Actually Works

How To Protect The Ocean

This week on the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, Andrew kicks off a science communication series exploring how ocean advocates can spread awareness across every major content format. Today's episode digs into short-form video: TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, and what it actually takes to make original content work when you're used to talking for an hour, not ninety seconds. Andrew is candid about his own struggle with the format, since most of his short-form output today is repurposed podcast clips rather than content built for the platform from the ground up. The conversation...

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How To Protect The Ocean

Electric boating is having its Tesla moment, and few people understand that shift better than Alexandre Mongeon, CEO and co-founder of Vision Marine Technologies. Andrew sits down with Alexandre to trace his path from importing speed boats in Montreal to building the electric outboard systems now powering boats across North America. Along the way, Alexandre shares how a chance meeting with Olympic sailor and boat designer Ian Bruce set him on the road to electric propulsion, and how a rental-to-sale showroom model in Newport Beach, California, turned a small hobby business into a NASDAQ-listed...

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How To Protect The Ocean

Not every ocean conservation win comes from a nonprofit or a government program. In this episode, Andrew breaks down three for-profit companies that are cleaning up the ocean, funding wildlife research, and paying living wages to the people doing the work. These businesses show that conservation and profit are not opposing goals. They can be the same goal. Andrew covers 4Ocean, whose full-time captains and cleanup crews earn living wages with health insurance and bonuses across Florida, Bali, Haiti, and Guatemala. He covers Ocean Sole, the Kenyan social enterprise that pays local collectors...

info_outline How 4ocean Turned Bracelets Into 50 Million Pounds of Ocean Trash Removed show art How 4ocean Turned Bracelets Into 50 Million Pounds of Ocean Trash Removed

How To Protect The Ocean

4ocean has removed more than 50 million pounds of plastic and trash from the world's oceans, rivers, and coastlines. That milestone did not come from a government program or a traditional nonprofit. It came from a for-profit business built around a single idea: every bracelet sold funds the removal of a pound of ocean trash. In this episode, Andrew breaks down how 4ocean went from one viral video in Bali to a global cleanup operation, why founders Alex Schulze and Andrew Cooper chose a business model over a nonprofit, and how the company built local jobs, recycling infrastructure, and B Corp...

info_outline The Boat Sharing Economy Is Exploding, Here's Why You Shouldn't Buy a Boat show art The Boat Sharing Economy Is Exploding, Here's Why You Shouldn't Buy a Boat

How To Protect The Ocean

The boat rental market is bigger than most people realize, and it's growing fast. In this episode, Andrew shares a personal story about his dad, boats, and why he's spent the last few months considering buying one, before walking through the data that changed his mind about ownership altogether. Andrew breaks down the numbers behind the boat sharing economy: a market valued between nineteen and twenty three billion dollars US, growing five to seven percent a year, with electric propulsion emerging as the fastest growing segment in boat rentals. Peer to peer platforms like Getmyboat,...

info_outline Why Cargo Ships Are Bringing Back Sails to Cut Emissions show art Why Cargo Ships Are Bringing Back Sails to Cut Emissions

How To Protect The Ocean

Global shipping moves roughly 80 to 90% of the world's trade, and it comes with a real climate cost: the industry is responsible for a little over 2% of global CO2 emissions. On today's episode of the How to Protect the Ocean Podcast, Andrew looks at one of the more surprising fixes the industry is turning to: sails. Not the old canvas kind, but massive rigid wing sails retrofitted onto modern cargo vessels to cut fuel use and emissions without waiting on next-generation fuels. The centerpiece example is the Pyxis Ocean, a bulk carrier fitted with two 37.5-meter WindWings that fold down like...

info_outline Can Hollywood Go Green? Inside the Sustainable Production Movement show art Can Hollywood Go Green? Inside the Sustainable Production Movement

How To Protect The Ocean

Hollywood might not be the first industry you think of when it comes to protecting the planet, but film and TV production has been quietly transforming how it operates behind the scenes. In this episode, Andrew sits down with Zena Harris, founder and president of Green Spark Group and co-host of The Tie-In podcast, to unpack what sustainability actually looks like on a working film set. Zena walks through the surprising ways major productions are cutting fuel consumption, swapping diesel generators for solar power and battery stations, and building a circular economy for set materials instead...

info_outline Greenwashing Exposed: Why 400+ Companies Got Caught Lying About Sustainability in 2026 show art Greenwashing Exposed: Why 400+ Companies Got Caught Lying About Sustainability in 2026

How To Protect The Ocean

Businesses love to say they are sustainable. Andrew breaks down why that word is no longer enough on its own. A new EU consumer protection regulation now requires companies to prove environmental claims with evidence, and it has helped drive more than 400 greenwashing-related enforcement actions across the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and India in 2026 alone. Andrew draws on his own university experience with food labeling regulation to explain how vague standards let companies technically comply while misleading the public, then walks through real cases including SEC fines against Goldman...

info_outline People and Sustainability: The Human Cost Big Business Keeps Ignoring show art People and Sustainability: The Human Cost Big Business Keeps Ignoring

How To Protect The Ocean

Sustainability conversations usually center on ecosystems, emissions targets, and corporate pledges, but this episode makes the case that people belong at the center of that conversation too. Andrew looks at how communities living closest to refineries, extraction sites, and industrial waterfronts carry a disproportionate share of the pollution burden, often without having consented to the risk in the first place. Using a Philadelphia refinery as a case study, Andrew walks through how fenceline communities experience higher poverty rates, higher rates of residents of color, and elevated cancer...

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The largest solar farm on the ocean is now running off the coast of China as the country continues to invest in ways to support its sustainable energy needs. 

In the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses China's deployment of the world's largest open sea offshore solar panel farm. The project, developed by CHN Energy, spans 1,223 hectares (3,023 acres) and is located 8 kilometers off the coast of China. It aims to generate one gigawatt of renewable energy and is notable for its innovative use of offshore solar technology.

Pros of the Offshore Solar Project

  1. Efficient Land Use: Utilizing water bodies for solar energy reduces the need for land clearing and habitat destruction typically associated with land-based solar farms.

  2. Reduced Evaporation: The solar panels cover the water surface, which can help conserve water by reducing evaporation rates in reservoirs and agricultural areas.

  3. Improved Solar Efficiency: The cooling effect of water can enhance the efficiency of solar panels compared to those installed on land.

  4. Dual Use Potential: Floating solar farms can coexist with hydroelectric facilities, optimizing energy production and utilizing existing infrastructure.

  5. Algal Bloom Reduction: The solar panels can help suppress harmful algal blooms in aquatic systems by limiting sunlight penetration.

  6. Clean Energy Generation: The project contributes to renewable energy production, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.

Cons of the Offshore Solar Project

  1. Impact on Aquatic Systems: The shade from solar panels may alter water temperature and light penetration, potentially disrupting habitats for aquatic plants and animals.

  2. Habitat Disruption: The solar farm installation could affect fish spawning areas and migratory patterns, similar to concerns raised about wind farms.

  3. Material Degradation: Using plastics and metals in solar structures could lead to microplastic contamination and chemical pollution over time.

  4. Recreational Disruption: Floating solar farms may hinder recreational activities, fishing, and navigation in the area.

  5. Installation Risks: The anchoring and cabling required for the solar systems could disturb sediments and harm local aquatic habitats.

  6. Vulnerability to Weather Events: The structures may be susceptible to damage from storms, hurricanes, and flooding, potentially releasing debris or pollutants into the water.

The episode emphasizes the need for careful planning and mitigation strategies to address the potential environmental concerns associated with floating solar farms. While the project presents a promising opportunity for renewable energy generation, it also raises important questions about the ecological impacts on marine environments. The host encourages listeners to engage in the conversation about the balance between renewable energy development and ocean conservation.

Link to article: https://electrek.co/2024/11/14/china-worlds-largest-open-sea-offshore-solar-farm/

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