Featured in Gaining Traction – 02-2022

The coast is clear

There are literal oceans of space for floating PV (FPV), beyond the first applications on lakes, reservoirs and hydro-electric dams. For countries where land is at a premium, such as the Netherlands, Singapore and Japan, offshore FPV is of particular interest. Of course, unlike a reservoir, the sea is rarely still. Thankfully FPV’s growth has also brought technological innovation and maturity with it, meaning the coast could now be clear for solar to head offshore.

By

Blake Matich

11 Feb 2022

Ocean Sun’s floating membrane is inspired by the Amazonian giant water lily. | Image: Ocean Sun

When it comes to land and reservoir-based PV systems we’ve more or less agreed on the basic design layout, but when it comes to offshore environments, FPV design is as mutable as the terrain. Thomas Reindl, deputy CEO of Solar Energy Research Institute Singapore (SERIS) at the National University of Singapore, lists a few of …

This article is part of pv+

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