US' tiny floating solar project uses sun-tracking for higher output
Colorado is preparing to make history with a new kind of renewable energy system. Noria Energy, a floating solar developer and technology provider, has begun construction on Aurea Solar, a 50-kilowatt floating solar pilot in Golden, Colorado.
The project is being developed at the Fairmount Reservoir, which is owned and operated by the Consolidated Mutual Water Company (CMWC).
The solar array will supply clean energy for local water utility operations. It will also demonstrate how water reservoirs across the country could double as renewable power plants. This is the first project in the US to combine floating solar with high-performance solar tracking technology.
A new step for floating solar
Floating solar is a growing field that offers a cost-effective way to generate renewable energy without using up valuable land. By placing panels on water, utilities gain two advantages: they can produce power and they can reduce water evaporation at the same time.
Noria’s Aurea Solar project will showcase these benefits at the Fairmount Reservoir. The floating array will power pumps that help regulate water supply for CMWC customers. It is scheduled to begin operations in September 2025 and will support the utility’s mission of providing safe and reliable water to over 100,000 people in the greater Denver area.
“[This project is an exciting opportunity to] not only produce and conserve energy, but also to improve our water supply by reducing how much is lost to evaporation,” said Jarod Roberts, CMWC’s chief of water resources.
Noria is not working alone. GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit focused on expanding renewable energy access and workforce training, is part of the effort. Hazelett Marine is also contributing with mooring solutions designed specifically for floating solar systems.
Why the fuss over a small project?
At 50 kilowatts, the Aurea Solar project may seem modest compared to the megawatt-scale solar farms spreading across the US. Yet it has attracted significant attention because of its innovative technology.
The key lies in Noria’s AquaPhi system, a proprietary floating solar tracker. Traditional floating solar panels are static, but AquaPhi enables solar islands to rotate and follow the sun. This tracking ability can boost energy output by 10 to 20 percent compared to fixed systems.
“AquaPhi allows floating solar systems to track the sun across the sky, by rotating the solar islands, increasing the system’s energy output by 10–20 percent,” Noria explains. Unlike other trackers, AquaPhi does not require a brand-new array. It can be built into new projects or added later to existing floating solar installations as a retrofit.
This flexibility opens the door to upgrading reservoirs that already host floating solar arrays.
Floating solar gains momentum
Interest in floating solar is slowly but steadily growing in the US. Reservoirs, water utilities, and even the Department of Defense have started exploring the potential of this approach. The Aurea Solar pilot is expected to accelerate momentum by proving that solar tracking can succeed on water.
Other states are beginning to explore similar possibilities. In Texas, Third Pillar Solar recently announced a study to evaluate 500 megawatts of floating solar panels on a reservoir system managed by Diamond Infrastructure Solutions. Like Colorado’s project, this effort will highlight both clean energy production and water conservation.
Noria’s decision to test AquaPhi in Colorado positions it at the center of this trend. If successful, the project could provide a model for scaling up floating solar trackers nationwide. Large reservoirs across the country could become dual-purpose assets, delivering renewable electricity while preserving water supplies.