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New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) has begun operation of China's first commercial floating PV project, off the coast of Qingdao, Shandong Province.
The 7.5 MW facility was developed with support from Shandong Province and the municipality of Qingdao. Built in a fully seawater environment, the project spans 60,000 m2 and is expected to generate 167,000 MWh/y of electricity, while reducing carbon emissions by 14,000 tonnes.
The installation is Sinopec’s largest floating PV system to date and integrates an earlier pile-based floating PV plant.
Sinopec says the system’s structure allows the PV panels to synchronise with tidal elevations, reducing the distance between the panels and the water surface to about one-tenth of traditional pile-based structures. This design is said to optimise seawater cooling, enhancing power generation efficiency by 5–8% through the cooling effect.
According to Sinopec, the project overcame the challenges of installing PV technology in seawater environments through three key innovations: specially engineered floats and supports resistant to salt mist corrosion and barnacle growth, an underwater anchoring system designed to withstand wind speeds of up to level 13 and accommodate tidal ranges of 3.5 metres, and a low-profile inspection path that cuts operations and maintenance costs.
Plans are underway to expand the Qingdao project to 23 MW.
