Floating Solar Panels on Irrigation Reservoir at Rice Research and Extension Center

planned

A research project to test a 70-kilowatt, 96-panel floating solar array on about 0.1 acre of a 40-acre irrigation reservoir at the Rice Research and Extension Center in Stuttgart, Arkansas. The project aims to generate electricity while saving irrigation water and avoiding the conversion of agricultural land to solar panel use. The installation is expected in May 2026 and includes 24 additional panels on the reservoir embankment. The project also involves a public perception survey and aims to study economic feasibility, operation, maintenance, and environmental impacts such as effects on migratory birds.