Floating solar saves land and helps fishing in Ohio
D3 Energy installed a large floating solar array on a reservoir in Monroeville, Ohio, during September 2026.
This twelve acre facility covers the surface of the local water body needed for village residents. It contains over nine thousand panels that would require thirty acres if built on dry ground instead of water surfaces today.
The six megawatt system is expected to generate roughly seven thousand five hundred megawatt hours of clean electricity annually for the community. This total output gives the town significantly more solar power per person than the rest of the state.
Floating platforms block direct sunlight and wind to reduce water evaporation by thirty to 80% depending on local weather conditions. This method saves millions of liters of precious water for drinking and farming every single year.
Shading the reservoir limits toxic algal blooms while insulating water temperatures to support cold water fish species during warmer months. Cleaner panels on water require less maintenance because dust and dirt do not accumulate as quickly on land sites.