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Researchers from Taiwan’s National Taipei University of Technology have conducted a techno-economic analysis comparing offshore floating photovoltaic (PV) plants with conventional ground-mounted solar facilities. According to the study, as reported by pv magazine, offshore installations could generate 12% more power than their land-based counterparts.
The analysis compared a 100 MW ground-mounted facility located in Changbin Industrial Park in Taiwan with a 181 MW offshore floating PV project. The larger offshore capacity was used to normalize performance metrics across the different system configurations. The scientists estimated that the installation cost of offshore floating systems is currently about 30% higher per kilowatt than ground-mounted solar plants.
The researchers attributed the higher power production to cooling effects and periodic water exposure in the intertidal environment. Over a 25-year lifespan, the offshore system was found to generate approximately 2,047 GWh, compared to 1,828 GWh for the land-based installation. The offshore project was also estimated to avoid 1.013 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, versus 0.905 million metric tons for the ground-mounted plant.
Regarding technical feasibility, the researchers believe offshore PV is currently viable if appropriate engineering solutions are adopted for system layout, mooring design, structural reinforcement, and environmental adaptation. The 181 MW project in Taiwan has already demonstrated practical feasibility at utility scale, according to the team. However, the scientists noted that installing offshore systems in the Taiwan Strait presents challenges including mechanical stress, strong winds, saltwater corrosion, wave loading, and extreme weather such as typhoons. They stated these challenges are not insurmountable with suitable engineering design.
The study, published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, utilized a lifecycle energy assessment based on the Carbon Footprint of Product – Product Category Rules framework. Both systems were evaluated under consistent assumptions including module type, 25-year lifetime, degradation rate, and normalized capacity.
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