According to Good Clean Tech…

Neuchâtel’s Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology has designed a floating solar island that will produce both electricity and hydrogen using solar power. The first $5 million, 100-meter-wide island is set to be deployed in the United Arab Emirates’ Ras al Khaimah; testing will take place in protected inland waterways. The idea behind the raft is to create a large field of solar panel without using too much terrestrial surface—while the U.S. may have vast areas in the Southwest that are perfect for solar arrays, other areas are not as lucky. The island would float on an inflated ring, inflatable-raft style. To save money, the solar island isn’t actually heated by solar panels. Rather, it uses a concentrator that heats water running through pipes; the steam generated is what produces electricity. And, since it’s floating, it would be easy to rotate—keeping it facing the sun all day for maximum efficiency. Hydrogen produced could be stored on board, rather than linking it to the mainland—further reducing cost.

Via Gizmodo.