The Recommended Practice guide, on top of describing the most common requirements for building a floating PV array, provides a series of technical guidelines for electrical safety, anchoring and mooring issues, operation and maintenance, and specific plant design that can withstand site-specific environmental conditions.

Solar and storage are developing at a relentless pace and pv magazine cannot cover all the interesting developments that are announced day by day. In this weekly Round-Up, we provide a quick review of all facts and deals that should not be off of our readers’ radar.

The German company expects to roll out its in-house proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis technology to implement a gigawatt production of electrolyzers. BP partners with UK gas distributor Northern Gas Networks (NGN) to develop blue hydrogen and Saudi Aramco teams up with Hyundai Heavy Industries to do the same. Italy’s Snam wants to build hydrogen projects in the United Arab Emirates.

Italy’s Saipem is planning what could be the world’s largest offshore PV plant — a 100 MW facility located off the coast of the Italian northern region of Emilia-Romagna. The project, whose approval process began two years ago, is expected to become operational by the end of 2025.

Italian research agency ENEA is planning to build a €14 million ‘hydrogen valley’ in the province of Rome. pv magazine has spoken with its director of the department of energy technologies and renewable sources, Giorgio Graditi, and has found out that the project will also include the production of hydrogen from photovoltaics.

The Italian gas contractor started to develop three green hydrogen projects in the southern Italian region of Apulia and has identified land for potential projects in Albania and Morocco.

As the ongoing changes in Italian politics inevitably create some uncertainties, PV operators continue to organize themselves, pulling together to put forward their agenda. pv magazine spoke with Andrea Cristini, spokesperson of new industry body Alleanza per il fotovoltaico in Italia, a group of 25 operators which in December joined forces to promote utility scale solar parks.

The Italian regulation about renewable energy communities entered into force last December. Market operators are now working to establish renewable energy communities (RECs) in Italy. Ènostra coop is currently completing the feasibility study for the development of two RECs in Sardinia. pv magazine spoke with project manager Christian Bartolomeo.

The poor outcome of Italy’s recent auctions for large scale solar suggests that the next tender will have similar results. pv magazine has spoken with two major experts from the Italian PV sector who claim that a change of pace is required, hinging on a streamlined authorization process, more competition and a focus on agricultural land.

The solar energy community will be part of a citizen energy community aimed at covering the energy needs of half of the citizens of an Italian, small northern municipality.