SolAqua 1 - R&I 2012-041

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Introduction and Background

The aim of Project SolAqua 1 was to study and develop viable, cost-effective solutions for floating Photovoltaic systems at sea. While several floating systems had been launched since 2007 in lakes, ponds and reservoirs, the first SolAqua prototype was the first ever floating photovoltaic platform in open sea.

SolAqua 1 was funded by Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) under the Research and Innovation (R&I) scheme targeted at offshore renewable technologies in 2012 (MCST R&I 2012-041). The project partners were the Institute for Sustainable Energy at the University of Malta (Leader), Pandia Ltd., and General Membrane Ltd.

Project implementation

SolAqua was a three stage experiment designed to both take advantage of existing knowledge and to find novel, reliable, cost-effective ways to install PV panels at sea. It introduced several novel concepts not tried by others:

• The floating of photovoltaic panels in open sea – which up to this point had not been done;
• The use of thin film panels which exhibit improved performance in the hot summer months and are less susceptible to shading effects;
• The design and testing of panels specifically for use in sea water. 

It was recognized from a very early stage that the main problem to making this technology feasible, besides durability and reliability is cost. The cost per Watt of this technology needed to be comparable to that of land-based systems. The problem was attacked in two ways:

• By working on the possible design of large or modular structures to hold conventional panels. Clever ways to achieve this was to use innovative or easily available materials and to eliminate some of the requirements for a PV system on land such as the frame;
• Finding innovative ways to place individual panels or cells in water, durably, reliably and at minimal cost;
• Designing new solar panels that float and therefore eliminating the need for flotation devices all-together. The solar cell itself would then need to be able to be anchored reliably.