Europe’s largest floating solar panel array is being installed on London’s Queen Elizabeth II reservoir as part of Thames Water’s bid to self-generate a third of its own energy by 2020.

Just over 23,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels will be floated on the reservoir near Walton-on-Thames, utilizing a normally redundant suburban space, following an agreement among Thames Water, Ennoviga Solar and Lightsource Renewable Energy. Upon completion, the floating pontoon will cover approximately one-tenth of the reservoir's 128.3-hectare surface area.

The floating pontoon will cover roughly one-tenth of the reservoir's 128.3-hectare surface area. Image credit: Thames Water.According to Thames Water, the PV array will have a total installed peak capacity of 6.3 megawatts (MW) and is expected to generate 5.8 million kilowatt hours (kWh) in its first year—equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 1,800 homes. The energy produced will be used to help provide low-cost power for a nearby water treatment facility.

Lightsource, a European developer/operator of solar PV projects, is managing the installation, which will ultimately involve the deployment of more than 61,000 floats and 177 anchors to provide the floating platform for the solar array.

In 2015 Thames Water pledged to support the objectives of the Paris Agreement to limit the global temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and the project will contribute to achieving this goal. The utility generated a total of 12.5% of its electricity requirements from renewable sources in 2014/2015, a 4% increase on the prior year.