Fields turned over to solar farms are becoming a more common sight as we look towards a zero-carbon future. But like wind turbines, massive PV installations may soon be heading offshore. China is looking to lead the charge, and is embarking on sea trials of a wave-resistant hexagonal floating platform.
The Yellow Sea No. 1 is being transported to a wind farm operated by the Huaneng Group in the southern Shandong Peninsula, and signals the start of China's offshore solar research program.
The test rig's 1,624-sq-m (~17,500-sq-ft) upper surface area is home to 434 photovoltaic panels that will test three different technologies and have four different capacities to determine the most robust setup. The platform stands 9 m (29.5 ft) tall on a series of 64 buoys mounted around the lower structure. Cables secured to the seabed keep it in position, and it's designed to withstand 10-m waves.
"When the waves come into contact with the photovoltaic panels, salt crystals will form, which will affect the efficiency of photoelectric conversion, said project engineer Bi Cheng. "In addition, seawater will corrode our photovoltaic components and electrical systems. Therefore, our entire platform is raised to a higher level above the sea, so that even under sea conditions unseen in 50 years, the waves will not come into contact with our photovoltaic panels."
The research phase will run for a year after installation, and is situated some 30 km (18.6 miles) offshore in waters that are 30 m (98.4 ft) deep. According to Qingdao officials, team members will monitor resistance to wind and waves as well overall durability, assess yield efficiency and maintenance requirements and more. The data gathered will inform the development of future offshore solar systems expected to integrate with existing offshore wind farms.
Huaneng and partners are not the only ones looking to tap into the potential of offshore solar. Dr. Luofeng Huang at Cranfield University is looking into wave-resilient floating PV platforms for remote Indonesian islands. SolarDuck and RWE have recently installed a floating solar pilot at a North Sea wind farm. Ocean Sun has developed a flexible floating rig that rises and falls with the waves. And NoviOcean recently tested a hybrid platform for harvesting energy from wind, wave and solar.
Sources: Chinese government, CGTN
