Hidroelectrica, a Romanian hydropower plant operator, has signed a contract for its first floating solar project.
The Nufărul pilot project will be developed by Romanian firm Waldevar Energy, with support from subcontractors and third-party contributors.
The 10 MW floating solar array will be built on the Ipotești reservoir in Olt County, southern Romania. Hidroelectrica said it will be the largest floating solar installation on a reservoir in Europe once completed.
The system will use 620 W solar panels paired with 100 kW inverters. It will connect to Romania’s national grid through four transformer stations linked to the existing Ipotești Hydroelectric Power Plant, which Hidroelectrica operates.
The project is valued at RON 39.2 million ($7.6 million) and is scheduled to be completed in 14 months.
Alessandro Amato, CEO of Waldevar Floating PV Systems, said the pilot is the first concrete step toward capitalizing on the significant photovoltaic potential of Romania's hydroelectric basins.
“The Nufărul pilot project, the largest of its kind in the European Union, represents a functional and efficient integration between hydroelectric and photovoltaic energy,” added Amato.
In June, Q Energy inaugurated a 74.3 MW floating solar plant in France, the largest of its kind in Europe, on basins formed by flooded former gravel pits.
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