GO FOTOPUR progress: floating photovoltaics to reduce emissions in slurry lagoons

The FOTOPUR Operational Group is making progress in the development and validation of innovative solutions based on floating photovoltaics to reduce polluting emissions from slurry lagoons in pig farms, while generating renewable energy for self-consumption .

The project, focused on photovoltaics on floating platforms in slurry , responds to the regulatory requirements for reducing ammonia emissions and proposes a clean, profitable and efficient alternative, taking advantage of surfaces that until now had no productive use.

Two prototypes under evaluation

FOTOPUR has developed two demonstrative prototypes , currently in the comparative analysis phase, the last of which has recently been installed in Tauste (Zaragoza):

• Prototype 1 (Zamora) : Installed on a sow farm, it adapts a commercial floating photovoltaic system to the conditions of a slurry lagoon. It allows coverage of up to 90% of the surface (photovoltaics + floating elements) and has 56 panels (33.04 kWp) , with an estimated production of 50.04 MWh/year , which could represent a 22% saving on the electricity bill.
• Prototype 2 (Tauste, Zaragoza) : designed specifically for this use on a feedlot farm disconnected from the electrical grid. It employs a modular floating platform not originally designed for photovoltaics, minimizing air-slurry contact. It integrates 16 panels (9.44 kWp) , with an expected production of 15.2 MWh/year , capable of covering up to 53% of the farm's electricity demand , reducing diesel consumption.

Measurement of emissions and energy results

Both systems are undergoing a comprehensive measurement program , which includes:

• Evaluation of ammonia emissions using standardized protocols.
• Continuous methane monitoring with sensors at different points of the pond.
• Analysis of photovoltaic production and self-consumption .

The objective is to identify the most effective solution from an environmental, technical and economic point of view, with a view to its transfer to the market .

A cooperative innovation project

FOTOPUR is funded by the EU under the AEI-Agri framework, through the National Rural Development Program of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food , and has a consortium that integrates entities from the pig sector, cooperatives, universities and technology companies.

These advances consolidate FOTOPUR as a benchmark in applied innovation for the reduction of emissions in livestock farming , combining renewable energy, circular economy and environmental sustainability .