From pv magazine Spain
Engineering firm Intergia announced it is testing floating PV systems adapted for manure lagoons at pig farms.
The initiative combines partial lagoon covering to limit ammonia emissions with the generation of PV electricity for on-site self-consumption. The project runs from 2024 to 2027 and is supported by funding from the EU’s NextGenerationEU program.
The company explained that lagoons are continuously fed with manure collected from farm facilities via a piping system. Periodically, trucks or tractors remove the slurry using suction systems to empty the lagoons. In regions with intensive livestock farming, manure surpluses lead to excess nutrients, particularly nitrates, which can contaminate soils and water resources if they leach into aquifers and waterways.
During storage, lagoons also emit significant quantities of ammonia into the atmosphere. Satellite observations have identified elevated concentrations of the gas in areas with high densities of intensive pig farming. Covering the lagoons is therefore seen as a mitigation measure to reduce emissions and evaporation.
Intergia is currently testing two floating PV system prototypes with different designs.
The first was installed at a sow farm in Calzada de Tera, Zamora, using a commercial floating PV system originally designed for water applications but adapted for use on manure lagoons. It currently covers around 20% of the lagoon surface, with plans to increase coverage to 90% using weighted hexagonal floating elements. It comprises 56 solar panels with a total capacity of 33.04 kW and is expected to generate around 50.04 MWh annually, reducing the farm’s electricity bill by up to 22%.
The second prototype, developed specifically for this application, has been installed at a 6,000-head fattening farm in Tauste, Zaragoza. The facility operates off-grid and previously relied on a diesel generator supplemented by a small photovoltaic system.
Image: Intergia
The Tauste slurry lagoon covers an area of 1,100 m². To minimize air–slurry interaction and reduce the risk of emissions, conventional floating photovoltaic systems were ruled out in favor of a modular floating pontoon system provided by Bulgaria-based Buldock, comprising interconnected cubic elements designed to minimize open water areas.
A dedicated superstructure was installed on this platform, consisting of a matrix of horizontal anodized aluminum beams anchored with bolts at the float connection points. The system incorporates brackets that raise the photovoltaic modules to a 15-degree tilt. In total, the installation comprises 16 PV panels with a capacity of 9.44 kW, oriented slightly southeast. To prevent corrosion in the ammonia-rich environment, aluminum and stainless steel components were used throughout.
The floating platform measures 11.5 m x 9.5 m and includes safety railings as well as a dedicated channel for routing solar cabling. It is secured by four mooring points and automatically adapts to fluctuations in slurry level without contacting the lagoon embankments.
The system covers approximately 10% of the lagoon surface and is expected to generate around 15.2 MWh annually—enough to supply up to 53% of the farm’s electricity demand through self-consumption.
The project also includes an environmental monitoring campaign to assess system performance. Ammonia emissions are being measured using a floating dynamic chamber in accordance with standardized protocols, while methane concentrations are monitored in real time using dedicated sensors, both above the platform and along the lagoon perimeter.
In parallel, data on PV generation and self-consumption will be analyzed. A technical and economic comparison of the two prototypes will determine which solution performs better in terms of emissions reduction, corrosion resistance, energy efficiency, and economic viability, with the goal of developing a scalable commercial solution for the swine sector.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.