Clean Power + Clean Water =
with BioHaven® FPV
Twenty-percent of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Come From Anaerobic Lakes. We Can Fix That.
Unhealthy Freshwater Lakes are a Massive Source of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions.
Water has gone under the radar as a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Even the US EPA fails to mention it as a source of GHGs. Yet an important study, published in 2018, estimates that "the equivalent of 20% of fossil-fuel emissions" is released into the atmosphere from impaired lakes, mostly as methane. A 2020 study from Hong Kong adds rivers to the list of culprits. Given that most emissions of GHGs from other sources are caused by burning fossil fuels, this amounts to a staggering figure that's in the blind-spot of carbon neutrality pledgers. Meanwhile, the number of lakes reporting Harmful Algae Blooms - the same lakes that emit methane - is rising alarmingly and isn't likely to stop any time soon, at least not without appropriate technology.
A technology that can be implemented at large scale and yet still be affordable and commercially viable.
A technology that can be implemented at large scale and yet still be affordable and commercially viable.
Climate action that will make a difference needs commercially viable solutions that are attractive to consumers, investors and politicians. We believe we offer such a product. The BioHaven platform adds value to floating solar by cleaning the water underneath it. Cleaning the water makes a big reduction in GHGs as does the clean energy production. Both are paid for by the power consumer. The synergies that combine to deliver real climate action with this solution are too great to ignore.
The versatile BioHaven® Floating Island is ready to enter the Floating Solar arena
These BioHaven High Energy modules (pictured here here being installed in a Wake Park) are the foundation of our Floating Solar platform. They dampen waves and reduce algae problems.
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The versatile BioHaven® Floating Island is the ideal platform to support power generation on water. It provides wave-dampening to prevent damage to the panels, and offers many ecological and aesthetic benefits besides. It addresses the increasing concerns of environmental scientists about the unknown-to-negative influence floating solar may have on the ecology that supports it.
BioHaven® Floating Islands are floating mats or platforms that act as a floating wetland. They have been successfully used to fix problems with water for over 15 years. They have been used to treat lakes with algae blooms and odors, wastewater lagoons and stormwater ponds. As floating breakwaters, they protect coastlines from wave damage. The largest BioHaven launched today is 39,000 sq. ft., just short of an acre. Some BioHavens support small buildings and tonnes of gravel. Today's BioHavens are long-lasting and resilient. Partnered with the most advanced anchoring and tethering solutions, they stand up to the harshest conditions, in marine, brackish and freshwater environments. |
A BioHaven Floating Solar Platform is a part of a large-scale climate solution with significant payback that offsets costs. And, by the way, it cleans water too.
This BioHaven protective barrier in Lake Hackberry, LA, protects the shoreline from inundation while providing aesthetic appeal.
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Benefits of a BioHaven FPV PlatformThe building-block is our High-Energy BioHaven, a modular system composed of the toughest BioHavens available. The modules are constructed using our most advanced materials and protective coatings. They are often deployed with spaces between them to preserve riparian edge and allow sunlight to penetrate the water; gaps also dampen waves hitting at different angles. The flexible matrix material does not simply reflect wave energy: it absorbs and dissipates it. To provide an ample supply of oxygen for treating and preventing anaerobic conditions, NanoHaven modules (BioHavens that support a solar-powered nanobubbler) are interspersed among the perimeter modules. BioHaven StreamBeds may be added for additional circulation to assist water cooling.
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In 2014, the Floating Breakwater received the endorsement of The Water Institute of the Gulf, as an innovative technology for Shoreline Protection and Bank Stabilization.
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Wave-Dampening: High-Energy BioHaven Floating Breakwaters have a long history of use in the US Gulf Coast, protecting delicate shorelines from erosion caused by wave damage. With our proven anchoring techniques, they have withstood severe weather events and tidal forces. They are also in use in watersports venues, preventing excess wave action and short, chop waves from impacting other water users and the ecology of the lake itself. As a buffer for an existing FPV array, it offers the best possible protection while making it look natural and attractive. Click here for more information. See our case studies: Wave Dampening describes flume testing by a world-renowned lab and Living Shorelines describes three successful installations on the Gulf Coast.
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BioHavens have a proven track record of nutrient removal, whether planted or unplanted. Low-growing, bushy-rooting perennials are ideal for solar.
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Ecological benefits:BioHavens bring water quality improvements on many levels. Nutrient pollution, which leads to algae blooms and massive greenhouse gas emissions if unchecked, is reduced by a combination of BioHavens and NanoHavens. Their biological dredging effect ensures no build-up of organic sediments beneath the islands. Water quality goals can be established through our modeling system, which uses proprietary, historical data to estimate the size of BioHaven needed. Cooling of the solar array can be enhanced through circulation. We are setting the stage for entry into the carbon trading market as it becomes established. Additional benefits include habitat for invertebrates, a key component of the EU Water Framework Directive. Here is what a Los Angeles lake manager has to say about the abundance of invertebrates: https://youtu.be/SQo8QWUqt80
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A special raft was built to float this dead-weight anchor into position
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Anchoring: Many complex anchoring challenges have been overcome as we've installed large islands in tidal areas, and lakes prone to high winds and fetch. Dead-weight, helical, arrowhead and penetrator anchors have all been tested by our engineering team in order to assess the most suitable option for any given situation. In high-energy and high-risk settings, like floating solar, we collaborate with experts in the world's most advanced tethering and tensioning methods and products.
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Call +1 (406) 373-5200 today to consult with our expert team
Learn more...
/ More on BioHaven FPV
/ Solar-Powered NanoHavens to Fix HABs
/ How BioHaven Floating Islands Work
/ Climate Change Mitigation
/ Wastewater Resource Recovery
/ Information for Investors
The largest BioHaven Floating Island launched in the USA, 39,000 square feet, was built to support 900 tons of gravel as nesting habitat. We know how to anchor large floating platforms like these.