Bluefield has launched a dedicated floating solar business and is advancing a pipeline of utility-scale projects across the UK.
The company said analysis by CBI Economics shows floating solar could deliver more than 40GW of capacity by 2050, marking a major untapped opportunity.
It added the technology could scale to 3.6GW by 2030 and 18.3GW by 2040 with the right policy environment.
Bluefield noted it already owns and operates the UK’s largest floating solar installation at the Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir supplying power to Thames Water.
The company said floating solar offers rapid deployment, proximity to grid infrastructure and potential for co-location with industrial and water demand.
“Floating solar represents one of the most practical and immediate opportunities to strengthen the UK’s energy security,” said James Armstrong, founder and managing partner of Bluefield.
“We’ve built a dedicated floating solar team made up of industry-leading professionals with deep experience in both the water and energy sectors – exactly the expertise needed to scale this technology at pace and work successfully with UK water companies and waterbody owners.”
“It’s time Britain stopped letting our solar potential float on by. For too long, we have failed to harness the huge potential of our reservoirs for floating solar,” said Michael Shanks, energy minister.
“As this report shows, floating solar could generate the equivalent of around 11 gas power stations by 2040 – cutting our dependence on volatile global gas markets we do not control.”