Field trial research of a semisubmersible floating photovoltaic platform

Abstract

Offshore floating photovoltaics (FPV) has received widespread attention as a new type of energy. The performance of FPV in the marine environment significantly impacts power generation efficiency, and there is a lack of research on the actual operation of FPV systems in terms of FPV’s hydrodynamic performance. This article proposes a semisubmersible FPV platform for typical sea areas with a water depth of 20 m. The platform consists of floating tubes and surrounding conical pontoons, and field trial research was conducted in the Yellow Sea, China, to research the impact of varying wave and tidal conditions on the motion response. The accuracy and reliability of the numerical calculation model are verified through the field trial data in typical wave conditions. The results show that the overall system operation of the FPV platform was stable during the marine trial. The change in tide level has the most significant impact on the mooring tension. The worse the environmental conditions, the stronger the biofouling effects produced by aquatic organisms such as seaweed, thereby reducing the motion response of the semisubmersible FPV. The more stable the environmental conditions, the better the numerical simulation results match the field trial data.