Det Norske Veritas (DNV), an independent energy expert and assurance service provider, is currently leading two joint industry projects aimed at developing reference standards for the design, development and operation of floating photovoltaic systems,media reported.
DNV wants to develop the world's first standard for the design, development and operation of floating photovoltaic systems (FPV).
According to the company's estimates, the installed capacity of floating photovoltaic systems worldwide may be as high as 4TW in the future, and the cumulative installed capacity globally is expected to reach 10GW by 2025.
However, the company noted that there is still a lack of standards applicable to floating PV systems, which can lead to project delays and utility-scale projects facing hurdles in permitting and authorisation. And floating PV system developers have to rely on inconsistent, varied procedures and similar standards adopted by other industries, which could hinder the industry's ability to scale rapidly.
To provide comprehensive guidance to developer operators, DNV has spearheaded two new Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) to develop reference standards specific to floating PV systems. DNV previously led a Joint Industry Project (JIP) involving 24 industry leaders to develop the world's first standard for the design, development and operation of floating photovoltaic systems - DNV-RP-0584. The standard was launched in 2021 as the first step in standardization and certification of floating photovoltaic systems. Reference standards specific to floating PV systems will further enable developers to manage risk and facilitate the transition to renewable energy, DNV said.
The first Joint Industry Project (JIP) is to share and improve best practices specific to floating PV systems and design of anchoring and mooring structures. Based on a series of floating PV system concepts, the project will address various challenges faced when installing floating PV systems in shallow water bodies. The second Joint Industry Project (JIP) will leverage DNV's expertise and network to create a unified standard for the design, testing and certification of buoys dedicated to floating PV systems, which will introduce clearer, faster and lower cost based Performance programs that are layout-independent and have specific failure modes.
There are also many bodies of water around the world that are used for photovoltaics - making the business case for floating photovoltaic systems very attractive. After a slow start, the cumulative installed capacity of the global floating PV market has grown to 2GW in 2020. DNV expects 7 to 11 GW of floating PV systems to be installed globally by 2025, but will increase significantly from 2023.
Juan Carlos Arévalo, Executive Vice President of DNV, said: "Using a unified industry standard will ultimately lead to higher quality, lower failure rates and better access to data-driven digital solutions and assurance services.
This can only be achieved through joint efforts and ongoing knowledge sharing. This will not lead to the convergence of floating PV technology as the dominant concept, but to establish a common analysis and simulation approach that will allow developers and players to continuously improve their best practices and set industry-wide standards for testing and quality assurance. "
Dana Olson, Head of the Global PV Business Unit at DNV Energy Systems, said: “Floating PV system structures present unique challenges to the PV industry due to specific hydrodynamic loads, corrosion risks and specific components such as floats, anchors and mooring cables.
Some of the largest clients in the PV industry have asked us to develop new tailored standards to guide them in developing more resilient floating PV projects. In particular, our investment in determining design environmental loads will provide vital guidance to the entire field, and we are eager to communicate and interact directly with industry customers during this critical step in the development of floating PV system projects. "