By Cat DiStasio

As the earth's population grows and land becomes more scarce, people are looking to bodies of water to support new types of structures. And if you're designing a building to float on water, it makes sense for it to be self-sufficient, with its own off-grid energy generation capabilities. Some incredible designs for solar-powered floating buildings have surfaced in recent years, from humble houseboat-like abodes to floating farms that harness the sun's energy to produce food without eating up valuable land. Read on for more ways architects and designers are combining solar power with floating architecture to stretch resources and make the most of renewable energy.