Floating

Solar PV Technology–An Introduction

Technology

GENSOL ENGINEERING PVT. LTD

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Floating Solar Technology – Market Outlook

The Global Floating Solar Panels Market is expected to reach US$ 842.0 Million by 2023, expanding at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth
Rate) of 65.1% during the forecast period 2016 to 2023. However, high cost of installation restricts the use of floating solar panels which in
turn is anticipated to hamper the demand for the floating solar panels during the forecast period (2016-2023).

Global Floating Solar Market Size and Forecast

Source - http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Global-Floating-Solar-Panels-Market-Forecast-Analysis- Gensol Group
to-2022-Sub-Market-Regional-Country-Level-Analysis-Research-and-Markets-1001820239
 Floating Solar Technology Development– Proactive Countries

Floating solar projects are mostly located in Asia showing high potential for mass floating solar market growth with almost 78% of the
expected worldwide installed capacity. Europe, North and Latin America are still developing pilot farms and expected to be niche
markets for this technology.

• Market target: Countries like Japan,

Singapore, UK (London) and India have
actually limited space to install large
ground mounted PV panels. Several
projects are emerging in these countries;
the biggest one is expected in Japan with
13.7 MWp of installed capacity.
• Customer target: some of these projects
are installed on a hydro plant, typically in
Brazil and Chile.
• Major Market Players
o Ciel & Terre, France;
o Pristine Sun LLC ;
o LG CNS, South Korea;
o Yingli Solar ;
o Sunfloat, Netherlands;
o KYOCERA Corporation etc

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 Floating Solar Technology – An Expedient Alternative

Various advantages of floating solar PV plants over ground

installations:

• Ever increasing power demand & depletion of fossil fuels.

• Leads to shift our focus to renewable energy sources.
• Availability of land – A big concern. Planning to put a floating PV in dam
reservoirs, it can make better use of the reservoir surface, which is anyway
lying idle
• Cooling of Solar panels which makes modules more efficient.
• Tracking - The entire system can easily and cheaply rotate
• Algal bloom - Reduced sunlight penetration lowers the potential for blue-green
algae growth.
• Evaporation - The increased shading reduces evaporation and saves water

Floating solar PV power project is an emerging concept which is unfurling both in India and Globally. This can be
established on all types of water bodies like lakes, saltwater lakes, reservoirs, irrigation ponds, dams, rivers etc.

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Advantages of Floating Solar Technology

No costs related to land acquisition

Effective natural evaporative cooling mechanism for

operational efficiency

Possibility of low cost Azimuthal tracking -

improves plant load factor (PLF)

Low cost civil structure

Water and energy balance with and without floating solar installations
Provides vast, level, hindrance free surface for
efficient tapping of solar energy

Ability to merge as hatcheries for fish inhabiting the

area and Reduce algae growth This concept is innovative because, about 70%
Reduction in trans evaporation- beneficial for large
of the earth’s surface is covered with water!
thermal power plants

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 Working Methodology – Floating Solar PV

A majority of the installations utilized a floating pontoon constructed either from fiber- reinforced plastic (FRP), Medium Density
Polyethylene (MDPE) or Ferro cement, high-density thermoplastic (HDPE). The solar PV modules were supported on these pontoons through
the use of metal structures and were inclined in a majority of cases to maximize the solar incidence.

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Major Components of Floating Solar PV Plant

Central/String Module Support Pontoon/Floating

Solar PV Modules Mooring System
inverters System Structure

Grid connect
SCADA Cables & connectors Transformers
equipment

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 Major Components of Floating Solar– Mooring/Anchoring
System
Mooring System – (Bottom Anchoring)
A mooring refers to any permanent structure to which a floating structure
may be secured. A floating structure is secured to a mooring to forestall
free movement of the floating structure on the water. An anchor mooring
fixes a floating structure’s position relative to a point on the bottom of a
waterway without connecting the floating structure to shore.

The anchoring system design is usually composed of:

• Aluminium spreader bars that enable the connection of the mooring lines to the
island and spread the load through the two connection tabs of the floats.
• Cables to link spreader bars to anchors (sized taking into account water level
variation).
• Chains at the end of the cables to adjust length.
• Main and secondary float rows (without PV panel) to secure buoyancy during harsh
winds.
• Anchors to moor the island on the bottom or on shores in order to withstand wind
loads and to reduce movement of the island on the water surface.

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 Major Components of Floating Solar PV – Pontoon System`

A pontoon is flotation structure and has buoyancy enough to float on water

and support a heavy load. The structure is designed such that it can hold
number of panels.

The entire floating solar mounting system encloses

• HDPE floaters, which have passed Hunt sealability test (CN), aging test, UV test, TUV
wind tunnel test and other tests.
• The tensile strength of floaters (2000 daN) is higher than most similar products.
• The solar modules will be easily installed on main floaters by aluminum alloy
clamps, which save time and labor cost. Its service life reaches 25 years.

Main Components
• Single floater/Double Floater
• Front Support
• Back Support
• Main Floater
• Main Fastener
• Clamp Kit
• Stainless Bolt kit

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Pontoon or Floating Structures Patented Hydrelio System
Key Design Features of Floating solar PV

Major Key Design Features of Floating Solar PV are enlisted below:

• Material used should be completely non-toxic, resistant to salt water and alkalis acids, UV rays resistant and
completely recyclable.
• It should easily adapt to changes in water level in reservoirs.
• The floating material entailed would be completely recyclable.
• The structures should withstand high temperature variation from -60°C to 80°C.
• Long life time that is 25 years withstand capability under water.

Properties of High-density polyethylene (HDPE):

• Resistant to ultra violet radiation & corrosion: The structures are made of HDPE through blow mold manufacturing
process. Due to their highly resistant composition, it can withstand for more than 20years.
• Extreme wind resistant: HDPE Structures floating solar power can withstand up to 118 m/hr winds
• Safe mounting & maintenance: It has been designed to be easily and quickly deployed. The secondary floats allow
easy access to the panels for maintenance and cleaning.
• Cost-effective: Cost is less per module compared to zinc coated stainless steel structures. The other manufacturing
benefits of HDPE structures are easy to install, i.e. easy to adapt to any electrical configuration.
• Scalable from low to high power generation, no need of heavy equipment for installation of HDPE structures.
Recycling is possible for HDPE materials.

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 Technical Details of Floating Material

Parameters Description
Installation Site Lakes, reservoirs and other water surface
Wind Load 60m/s （TUV Wind Tunnel Test）
Snow Load 1KN/M2
Module Type Framed or Frameless
Module Orientation Landscape
Material HDPE & PP
Clearance above Water 250-300mm
Fastener Zinc-Nickel Alloy & PP
Clamp Anodized
Main Floater 77 KG/m3 , Maintenance Channel 172
Loading Capacity
KG/m3

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Different Types of Floating Solar Technologies

Technology Technology Provider Key Point of Technologies

Aquasun Solaris Synergy in partnership • Lightweight modules made of plastic fiberglass
with EDF • The modules are covered with a reflective film, with a curvature that
concentrates the sunlight on a median ramp covered with photovoltaic cells
• Tracking system on board
Hydrelio Ceil and Terre • Light weight modules made of HDPE and fibreglass
• Secondary floated to facilitate the access to the panel (maintenance part)

Floating Tracking Scienza Industria Tecnologia • Tracking system

Cooling Concentrator (SIT) • Adapted cooling system (higher efficiency)
Liquid Solar Array Tata Power Sungency • Sun tracking
(LSA) • Storm protection mechanism
Floatovoltaics SPG solar • Single axis tracking solar system
• Cost competitive

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 Floating Solar PV Project – Case Studies (1/4)
Liquid Solar Array Technology
Sunengy is the first solar company in the world to propose and implement floating solar collectors designed specifically for
large-scale use in hydro-electric dams and other still water bodies.

Australian floating solar innovator Sunengy has completed its first pilot plant
in India on a hydropower storage dam owned by The Tata Power Co Ltd, India’s
largest private utility.

LSA adds solar as a secondary resource and taps directly into the under utilised
transmission grids at hydropower storage dams, with the hydropower turbines
providing full backup for the solar power. This gives tremendous potential to
dramatically increase the energy generation capacity of many of the world’s
hydro facilities without straining additional water resource, or occupying any
land area

Drawbacks -CPV systems are significantly affected by poor air quality, reducing
output up to 40% at certain times. There has also been an unexpected
development in that while observing some of the difficulties with the CPV
system specific to the hazy conditions in India
LSA Pilot Plant On Sun In Indian Hydro Dam

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Source -http://sunengy.com/
 Floating solar PV Project – Case Studies (2/4)

FLOATOVOLTAIC™ Solar Array

Floatovoltaics Technology is a closed foam filled HDPE plastic resistant to corrosive
environment, engineered to withstand 85 MPH winds and a minimum of 12” wind
generated waves. Structural steel frame is galvalume and hot-dip galvanized coated
and designed specifically to minimize wear in fresh water environments. Proprietary
mooring system distributes the loads to minimize point loading and wear

Project Partners Project Details

Far Niente Winery – Owner Capacity – 400 kW/477.57 kWp
SPG Solar & Thompson Technology Industries (TTI) Total Acreage – 100 Acres
– System Installer Modules – 208 Poly Cry. modules with 13% effi.
Sharp Solar – Solar Panel Provider Inverter - 1 SatCon AE-500-60-PV-A (480V)

Far Niente Winery, California

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Source : https://inhabitat.com/floatovoltaics-far-niente-wynerys-floating-solar-power
 Floating solar PV Project – Case Studies (3/4)

India’s First 10 kW Floating Solar Power Plant – West Bengal

Key Features of the project

The solar power facility was designed using 1kW fibre glass PV modules
to produce a minimum of 14MWh of solar power annually. The floating
mechanism functions successfully with the system anchored firmly to the
bottom of the lake and connected to the grid using submersible cables.

1) Location – Rajarhat ,West Bengal Owner

Arka Renewable
2) Module Type- Eldora Prime Series Polycrystalline,250 Wp (40 Nos) Energy College
3)Inverter Type – Kaco – made inverter

4) Space Coverage – 0.025 Acres Installation

Installer
Type
5) Annual Energy Yield -1765.30 kWh 6) CO2 Savings – 2942.167 Tons/Yr Vikram Solar
Grid
Ltd
Connected
https://www.vikramsolar.com/case-studies/floating-solar-power-plant-in-west-bengal-india/
 Floating solar PV Project – Case Studies (4/4)

Floating Tracking Cooling Concentrating PV plant

The system consists of a platform with photovoltaic panels supported by a structure in polyethylene tubes. The power of a module ranges from 20
to 500 kW, depending on the dimension of the platform. Cooling of the panel is ensured by a veil of water generated by a set of irrigators located in
the upper part of PV panel. Cables and electrical parts are far from the surface of the water and adequately protected.

1) Reflectors, with vertical axis tracking, increase the annual energy yield.

2) PV panels stay at low temperatures with an average gain of efficiency of more

than 15% yearly

3) The floating platform structure allows an efficient one axis tracking, so that the
system is suitable for positioning reflectors and for increasing radiation on the
panels.

4) FTCC exploits the unused areas of artificial basins and has a very limited visual
impact.

FTCC PV system at Petra’s Winery, Italy

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/blog/floating-solar-panels-market-size-trends
 Floating Solar PV - Indian Scenario

Great potential for floating PV in India

• Availability of water bodies and land issues are main accelerators for floating PV solar panels.
• Increased efficiency of floating PV over land PV installed will attract more investment due to better
returns.
• Availability of trained manpower and Govt. Policies have boosts the confidence of investors
• Stable floating PV platforms results in minimum operation and maintenance cost.

The 500 kWp (kilowatt peak) solar plant of the KSEB

1) he Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) on Monday published an enticing 10 GW floating
solar tender that aims to boost this underdeveloped portion of the nation’s solar sector over the next
three years.
2) National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) has also announced plans to set up 600 megawatts of
floating solar power project at the 1,960 MW Koyna hydro power project
3) The 100 kWp (kilowatt peak) floating solar PV plant has been indigenously developed as a part of
Union Government flagship ‘Make In India’ initiative...
4) India s private energy giant Tata Power has joined with Australia s Sunengy Pty Limited for a US$1
million pilot project to build a solar powered electricity generation plant that will float on water the
companies announced

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About Gensol
Gensol provides concept to commissioning solar advisory, execution and operations services for Solar Projects in India and abroad.

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Director President Head of Supply Chain & Group
CFO
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shivyasinghal@gensol.in

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