I invented floating solar panels on #electronics EFnet IRC. The gains were small after searching the thermal efficiency’s of solar panels like at most 3 – 7% but combined with evaporation or thermal power systems more gains can be achieved, the cells stay cleaner and last longer. but the heat could also damage ecosystems so it would be a pond for itself most of the time.
http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/floating-solar-panels/ if they were to use peltier coolers as heat converters to make more power it could get up to around 35% efficiency
25% efficient 75% heat waste
2% gain per 10 deg cooling
5%-10% TEC peltier conversion
also submersing in water would clean/cool and protect the solar cells during hails. aswell as increase solar cell efficiency by running them cooler also would lessen the thermal energy emitted by providing cooling through evaporation and humidity with it to cool it down even more after.
