Researchers from Taiwan’s National Taipei University of Technology have conducted a techno-economic analysis comparing large-scale offshore floating PV plants with conventional ground-mounted solar facilities and have found that offshore installations could achieve 12% higher power generation than land-based counterparts.
The scientists compared a 100 MW ground-mounted facility in Changbin Industrial Park in Taiwan with a 181 MW offshore floating PV project, with the larger offshore capacity used to normalize performance comparisons between systems of different configurations. “This normalization approach enabled a direct comparison of performance metrics — including energy yield, efficiency, and environmental impacts — under equivalent system capacities, while eliminating biases related to differences in project size,” lead author Ching-Feng Chen told pv magazine.
In his opinion, the 12% higher power production achieved by offshore photovoltaic does provide a meaningful basis for economic viability. “This is particularly relevant because PV modules constitute a major portion of the system cost, while their operational lifetime typically extends to approximately 25 years. Therefore, even a moderate increase in energy yield can significantly improve the overall long-term return on investment,” he added. “In our study, however, I did not conduct a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) analysis. The primary focus of the paper was on energy payback time (EPBT) and energy return on investment (EROI).
Based on preliminary discussions with industry stakeholders, the scientists estimated that installation cost of offshore floating systems is currently estimated to be approximately 30% higher per kW than ground-mounted solar plants. “This is especially true for the 181 MW offshore project discussed in the paper, which is located in an intertidal zone,” Chen added. “In this type of project, the floating structures are assembled near the shore and subsequently towed in batches to the offshore site by vessels. Some of these installation and marine logistics costs may be comparable to the foundation and civil engineering costs associated with land-based PV systems.”
“At the same time, however, offshore systems require corrosion-resistant structures, including high-density polyethylen (HDPE) floating platforms and anti-corrosion fixation components for PV modules, which are indeed relatively expensive and deserve further investigation,” Chen added.
Regarding technical viability, the researchers believe offshore PV is currently technically viable if an appropriate technical solution is adopted, particularly with respect to system layout, mooring design, structural reinforcement, and environmental adaptation.
“Based on the commercial operation status of the 181 MW project in Taiwan discussed in this paper, the concept has already demonstrated practical feasibility at utility scale,” they stated. “Certainly, installing offshore systems in the Taiwan Strait presents substantial challenges, including harsh mechanical stress, strong seasonal winds, saltwater corrosion, wave loading, and extreme weather conditions such as typhoons. However, these challenges are not insurmountable. With suitable engineering design, optimized layout configurations, robust floating structures, and long-term durability considerations, offshore PV is suitable for coastal environments.”
In the study “Using an integrated approach for a comparative analysis of carbon footprints in onshore and offshore photovoltaic systems,” published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, the research team explained that its analysis relied on using the lifecycle energy assessment based on the Carbon Footprint of Product – Product Category Rules (CFP–PCR) framework, which is a standardized, international system used to calculate and communicate the green-house gas (GHG) emissions of a specific product throughout its life cycle.
To ensure consistency, both systems were evaluated under the same assumptions, including module type, 25-year lifetime, degradation rate, and normalized capacity. The offshore system was found to generate around 2,047 GWh over its lifetime, compared to 1,828 GWh for the land-based installation, representing a 12% increase in output. The offshore project was also estimated to avoid 1.013 million metric tons of CO2 emissions, versus 0.905 million metric tons for the ground-mounted plant.
The researchers attributed the higher performance to intertidal environmental conditions, including cooling effects and periodic water exposure. “From a broader perspective, our work shows that offshore floating solar is not just a technical alternative but a strategic solution for other countries with limited land resources that can help expand their renewable energy capacity while still meeting environmental and land-use constraints,” said Chen.
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