DNV GL has launched a joint industry project with 14 stakeholders within the floating solar PV sector to develop the first recommended practice for floating solar power projects.

The recommended broad-based best practices guide, created by the ‘Floating Solar’ joint industry project, is expected to be ready by the first quarter of 2021. However, a draft guidance document is expected to be ready by the end of 2020.

This practice will be based on a list of technical requirements for developing safe, reliable and sustainable floating solar projects.

Since the deployment of the world’s first floating PV project in 2006, the industry has expanded slowly through 2015. Only 10MW of floating PV capacity had been deployed by 2015.

However, adoption has increased through 2019 with capacity reaching up to 3GW.

It is estimated that the total global potential capacity for deploying floating PV on manmade, inland waters alone could be as high as 4 TW.

The lack of a globally recognised standard for solar remains a key barrier hence the need for the establishment of the Floating Solar JIP consortium.

The unavailability of a standard has made it difficult for investors, regulators, and other stakeholders to have confidence in planned projects and to enforce relevant requirements, which could potentially put a break on the technology’s growth, according to a statement.

The consortium will focus on five key topics:

Site conditions assessment

Energy yield forecast

Mooring & anchoring systems

Floating structures

Permitting and environmental impact

Toni Weigl, project manager at BayWa r.e, said: “We think establishing uniform high standards for Floating PV power plants will help to mature and enhance the Floating PV industry, therefore we are excited to bring in our extensive knowledge from the successfully realized Floating PV projects.”

Prajeev Rasiah, Executive Vice President for DNV GL’s Energy business in Northern Europe, Middle East and Africa, adds: “Floating solar is a rapidly expanding technology with huge potential to help nations decarbonise, and one that we have been intimately involved with for many years.”

Members of the Floating Solar JIP consortium include:

BayWa r.e. (Ger)

Blue C Engineering (Ger)

Carpi Tech/Makor Energy (Swi/Isr)

Ciel & Terre International (Fra)

Compagnie Nationale du Rhone (Fra)

Noria Energy (US)

EDF – Électricité de France (Fra)

EDP- Energias de Portugal S.A.(Por)

Equinor (Nor)

Isigenere (Spa)

Mainstream Renewable Power (UK)

Scatec Solar (Nor)

Seaflex (Swe)

Statkraft (Nor)