In Harmony with Water: A Deep Dive Into Floating Solar | Thomas Lang, Director of Technology at Accusolar

In this episode of The Raptor Report, we explore the rise of floating solar with Thomas Lang, Director of Technology and Business Development at AccuSolar. As demand for clean energy accelerates and land availability tightens, floating solar presents a unique opportunity to generate renewable power while conserving precious water resources.Thomas unpacks how floating solar works, where it’s being deployed, and why it’s becoming an increasingly attractive option for utilities, municipalities, and data center developers. From anchored rafts on cooling ponds to evaporation reduction and seasonal panel tilting, this conversation covers both the fundamentals and the advanced considerations of deploying solar on water.What you’ll learn in this episode:What floating solar is—and why it's not "rocket science"How systems are installed and maintained without boatsWhere floating solar is most impactful (think cooling ponds, reservoirs, water treatment sites)The performance edge: up to 15–20% higher energy yield than ground-mountThe environmental upside: up to 50% less water evaporation, less algae growthLCOE insights: Why floating solar is cost-competitive despite higher capexHow public policy and federal mandates are shaping market growthThomas also shares his unconventional path into clean energy—from Middle East counterterrorism work to pioneering floating solar in the U.S.—and gives a glimpse into where the industry is headed next. Who's Raptor Maps? Raptor Maps is a solar management platform at the intersection of AI and robotics. Our services combine the industry's most comprehensive visual analytics suite with the ability to orchestrate solar management, construction, and operations work by people and robotics. In turn, Raptor Maps provides the digital foundation teams need to scale their capabilities without straining their budgets and to ultimately increase the reliability and return of their solar assets.