Land-scarce Singapore is reportedly planning on covering its inland reservoirs with solar panels to harness renewable energy, Fast Company's Co.Exist explains why and how in a June 11, 2014 piece.

Planning to be the first to pioneer such a technology to be a model for the rest of the world, a floating solar farm could well be Singapore's next power plant.

Before going full-on into its development, feasibility tests will see smaller versions of 10 different designs tested out to determine which is the best. It will then be expanded into a full plant to generate 3.3 gigawatt-hours of solar energy in a year, or up to 4 gigawatt-hours if it is more efficient to harness energy on water than on land.

To give you a sense of proportion, 1 gigawatt-hours of energy is capable of meeting the instantaneous demand of some 750,000 homes at a time.

Besides providing clean energy, there are also other upsides to water-based solar panels.

By shading the water, the panels are likely to help reduce evaporation. Plus, the water may help keep the panels cooler so they run more efficiently.

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