Floating Solar PV Systems
GPEKS is actively involved in the financing and international deployment of Gigawatts of Floating solar PV (FPV).
We are working with leading technology providers and players to promote these technologies. We favour solutions that are safe, low maintenance and cost effective (lowest O&M, LCOE) over the lifetime of the plant, even if that means higher upfront capital cost.
We are also especially focussed on projects that can scale up and be combined with other power infrastructures such as installations on hydro dams and projects for coastal areas.
Why FPV?
In most countries, the installation of large ground-based photovoltaic systems is limited by the scarcity of land resources. Therefore, in addition to small and medium-sized household and industrial rooftop pv systems, large scale PV systems are of significance to the necessity of photovoltaic power generation.
Due to the limitations of traditional land base large ground-based photovoltaic systems, FPV offer an economic and environmental alternative. As a result FPV system have been developing quickly over the last few years, and can provide (when designed properly with quality material) an economic and reliable technology, allowing the FPV systems to provide a great real alternative to ground installation of solar PV system.
FPV Applications
|
Hydro power dams, water treatment plants, irrigation reservoirs, flood prevention reservoirs
 |
Flooded areas (from mining, quarries and pits)
 |
|
Flood detention ponds, reservoirs, un-used areas |
Farming and acquaculture ponds
 |
Coastal areas
 |
| Weight (out of 10) |
Features | Most effective - Score | Least effective/-Score | |
| Safety: | 9/10 | |||
| Float |
Solid Structure with no risk of leak Fire resistant against (arcing faults more likely with electrical system on water, and high DC currents) |
Inorganic inert materia (Aluminium, metals) - 10 Inorganic inert materia (Aluminium, metals) -10
|
Plastics - 3
Plastics - 2
|
|
| Module support structure/Raft |
Material that will not corrode, tear, age, leak toxic materials Material that will no tear or break apart with (even occasional but possibly strong) waves and wind |
Inorganic inert materia (Aluminium, metals) - 8 Inorganic inert materia (Aluminium, metals) - 10 |
Plastics - 4
Plastics - 3
|
|
| Modules |
Work well with more diffuse light of humid environments PID effectiveness No corrosion No water infiltration from the frame of backsheet Microcrack resistant No grounding required Sturdy frame attachment Sturdy area Waterproof |
Thin Film , cSi Frameless double glass Frameless double glass Framless double glass Framless double glass Framless double glass Framed Double glass Framless double glass |
pCi Framed Framed Framed Framed Framed Framed Framed (Plastic EPA backsheet on back) Framed (poreous plastic backsheet) |
|
| Power Production | 8/10 | |||
| Module |
High Efficiency Low degradation rate Low temerature coeficient Long term production expectancy |
cSI cSi Thin Film Micro-crack proof and PID less |
Thin Film (aSi, flexible modules) pSi cSI Framed |
|
| Inverter | Granular control of modules | String Inverters (especially with optimizers) | Central inverters | |
| Cost | 7/10 | |||
| Float | Plastics - 10 | Inorganic inert materia (Aluminium, metals) - 5 | ||
| Support Structure | Plastics - 10 | Inorganic inert materia (Aluminium, metals) - 5 | ||
| Module | pSi - 10, then cSi 9 | Thin Film - 6 | ||
| Mooring | Rigid - 10 | Flexible - 8 |
Detailled analysis of metallic versus plastic floating solar systems