A New Web-Type Concept of Floating Photovoltaic Farms in Open Sea Environment

Abstract

The rapid advancement of floating photovoltaic (FPV) technologies has led to increasing interest in their deployment in marine environments. However, the survivability of FPV systems under harsh oceanic conditions, particularly when subjected to large wave impact loads, remains a significant challenge. Addressing this issue necessitates a fundamental shift in design approach. Natural structures are well known for their exquisite design. For example, the silken webs of web-spinning spiders have evolved to span large areas and endure extreme weather conditions and impact loads, while utilizing minimal material. Such remarkable natural characteristics provide valuable inspiration for the next generation of FPV systems. In this study, we propose a nature-inspired design concept featuring a bio-inspired web-type floating structure to support FPV modules. While the design draws on the distributed and flexible features of web-like geometries, it does not seek to replicate the exact structure or biological function of a spider web. The technical feasibility of this innovative concept was evaluated using the Morison model. Various FPV web configurations were analyzed to evaluate the influence of environmental loads and key design parameters. The study compares motion responses and mooring load variations across various wave conditions. The results indicate that, for the proposed web-type structures, the rope connection can maintain the overall motion at a low level, and the peak mooring tensions can be optimized. The pretension on the connecting mooring lines can be optimized by tuning the gap between the modules. Furthermore, the dynamic performance of the large FPV system was evaluated. This study presents an early-stage framework, employing the spider-web configuration as a structural analogy rather than a validated solution.