Energies Media
The Yellow Sea is generating solar power on floating platforms, and seaweed is keeping it steady.
The intermittency and land limitations of traditional photovoltaic installations remain global challenges.
To address this and boost grid stabilization, developers are exploring different deployment methods.
Offshore infrastructure is rapidly becoming more popular, but harsh marine conditions create structural challenges.
Will the latest findings based on the Yellow Sea study help raise floating integrity more naturally?
In the worldwide race to shift toward renewable energy sources, solar power remains in the lead.
The technology is the largest source of installed green capacity globally.
It has pushed the world’s total renewable capacity past 5.1 terawatts.
In one year, over 500 gigawatts were added, driving approximately three-quarters of new clean energy expansion.
Thanks to highly cost-effective production costs and versatility, solar power can be scaled rapidly.
For many nations, photovoltaics have become fundamental in advancing decarbonization.
However, despite its growth milestones, the source still faces a major obstacle.
Traditionally, solar energy faces intermittency, making power generation dependent on daylight and weather conditions.
If this challenge is not addressed, the variable electricity supply fails to stabilize modern electrical grids.
As a result, the addition of massive battery energy storage systems (BESS) has become vital for utility-scale solar facilities.
But even this combination creates challenges for developers.
Beyond requiring millions in financing for large-scale solar developments, these projects also need vast land footprints.
In densely populated nations such as China, this spatial demand can spark immense conflicts.
In these regions, valuable land is often reserved for housing, agriculture, and conservation.
This leaves little to no room for major energy facilities.
On average, these plants require between five and ten acres of land per megawatt.
When giant battery systems are brought into the equation, the land footprint becomes much larger.
Standard 4-hour systems require up to 9 acres of land, making massive solar-battery plants more costly to expand.
While these combinations are key to meeting rising data center demands, developers are exploring other approaches.
The industry has turned to offshore infrastructure, as floating solar power immediately overcomes land limitations.
But as one problem is solved, another one rises.
Harsh marine conditions can compromise structural integrity, but installations on the Yellow Sea found a biological solution.
China is rapidly expanding its floating solar capacity.
Off the coast of Shandong Province, the Yellow Sea is home to the hybrid installation called Yellow Sea No.1.
The 300 megawatt facility consists of wave-resistant floating solar platforms combined with wind turbines.
The Yellow Sea is known for its extreme seasonal weather, monsoons, and harsh conditions.
This marine environment tests the limits of the floating infrastructure.
However, recent research revealed a surprising notion.
Underneath the panels, seaweed flourished along with other marine life.
This natural growth beneath the platforms created a beneficial dampening effect.
The more the seaweed grew, the bigger the drag it generated.
This drag significantly reduced the impact of wave motion, keeping the structures remarkably steady in the water.
Consequently, the seaweed served as a biological solution to the extreme physical stresses experienced in open marine environments.
Presently, the Yellow Sea No.1 project continues to generate clean energy.
The study’s findings demonstrate the value in exploiting natural marine growth as structural reinforcements.
Key suggestions include intentionally cultivating compatible seaweed species beneath floating platforms.
This will help future projects save engineering costs while boosting structural resilience.
Ultimately, it can help accelerate sustainable offshore capacity growth worldwide, but it is vital to monitor potential risks of biofouling.
You can review the study using the APA CITE: Zhang, P., Qi, X., Cheng, Z., Zhao, Y., Li, J., Zhang, L., … & Ding, H. (2025). Field trial research of a semisubmersible floating photovoltaic platform. Solar Energy, 301, 113982.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.
Anke Maree is a writer with a clear and engaging editorial style. Her work focuses on making complex topics accessible, informative, and relevant for readers across different areas of interest.

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