offshore PV

Researchers in China have compared the performance of catenary and taut mooring systems for offshore floating PV systems. They found that the taut system offers a higher degree of reliability in shallow water environments with severe tidal variations.

Researchers in China have conducted a numerical study on the wind sensitivity of offshore floating solar plants. They have tested six row-arrangements of panels and have found an optimal system configuration that is reportedly less sensitive to wind direction.

Developed by scientists in Spain, the HelioSea system is reportedly able to ensure structural reliability in challenging marine environments. The research group proposed to use tension leg platforms that have been successfully applied to offshore drilling platforms, where stability is also paramount.

Dutch offshore solar company Oceans of Energy is leading a project to scale up offshore solar blocks. Backed by 15 European partners, it is expected that the 150 MW building blocks will set a new standard in offshore energy and allow the construction of gigawatt-scale offshore solar farms.

China’s solar industry rebounded in 2023 after years of pandemic-related sluggishness. As the year draws to a close, pv magazine looks back at key highlights of 2023 and considers the prospects for 2024.

SolarinBlue has deployed the first units of an offshore PV pilot plant in the Mediterranean Sea, 1.5 km off the port of Sète, France.

Tokyu Land and Dutch offshore PV specialist SolarDuck are set to develop a floating solar project in the Tokyo Bay area.

The CEO of Norwegian floating solar company Ocean Sun has spoken to pv magazine about his company’s innovative design for floating PV projects in near-shore locations and semi-sheltered waters. A pilot project built in the Philippines last year, said Børge Bjørneklett, is providing better-than-expected power output.

Superior hydrodynamic properties, more robustness in high seas and a much reduced logistics requirement support the case for thin-film over crystalline silicon, pontoon-mounted alternatives, according to an Indo-Italian research group.

South Korea’s largest PV project is scheduled for commissioning by next year. The project developer – Korean floating PV specialist Scotra – is also planning a 2.5 MW offshore solar project with the support of the government.