German-Dutch consortium to build 500 kW offshore solar pilot in North Sea
Germany’s RWE is partnering with offshore PV specialist SolarDuck to build a 0.5 MW floating solar plant near an offshore wind farm in the North Sea.
New floating PV system for near-shore applications
Norwegian startup Sunlit Sea has designed a floating array consisting of a single unit float built-in cold-pressed aluminum with a close-to-standard solar panel bonded on the top surface. A 22.7%-efficienct mono PERC photovoltaic panel is bonded to the top of the float, giving a total unit thickness of 85 mm.
Hybridizing floating solar with hydropower
Scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have said that the combination of floating solar with hydropower could reduce PV curtailment.
Novel floating PV system design from Norway
Norwegian scientists have tested a new floating PV system concept at a water reservoir in Sri Lanka. The system is made of composite beams to support the solar panels and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes to provide buoyancy.
Tenders for floating PV, storage, hybrid wind-solar projects in India
Solar developers have until July 15 to express interest in developing 105 MW of grid-connected floating solar in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Ciel et Terre presents new solar floater models
Ciel et Terre has unveiled a new rough-water floater and another rigid platform that maximizes the number of solar panels per square meter.
The weekend read: Portugal’s enormous PV potential
Portugal’s PV tenders have generated headlines on the back of world-record tariffs. But the country has failed to add meaningful capacity and is now struggling to establish a workable licensing system. Merchant solar shows enormous potential to drive the market, but will politicians listen?
Chinese province seeks proposals for 11.5 GW of offshore PV
The authorities in China’s Shandong province have identified 10 offshore sites close to the coastline where 11.5 GW of solar projects could be constructed. Binzhou, Dongying, Weifang, Yantai, Weihai, and Qingdao are some of the preferred areas.
Storage-linked 5 MW floating PV plant goes online in Portugal
Portuguese utility EDP has switched on a new 5 MW floating solar array at the Alqueva hydropower dam.
Small-scale floating PV with pumped hydro storage
Indian scientists have developed a system under which a pumped-hydro facility stores grid electricity during off-peak hours by pumping water to an upper reservoir. During peak hours, the system feeds the load, rather than taking power from the grid.
