According to a simulation conducted by academics at Utrecht University, North Sea photovoltaic projects could outperform a ground-mounted solar generator in the Netherlands. According to the study's findings, offshore installations might create 12.96 percent more power each year using the sea as a cooling system.
FREMONT, CA: Researchers from the Copernicus Institute at Utrecht University in the Netherlands have claimed that offshore PV plants could be more productive than ground-mounted arrays after running a simulation comparing a North Sea project to a conventional system in the Utrecht Photovoltaic Outdoor Test field.
Over a year, the effects of waves and the average temperature of the water were accounted for in the simulations. Seawater functioned as a natural cooling system in the model, and the researchers also incorporated variables such as wind speed and relative humidity, which allowed them to see large swings in ambient air temperatures over a year while only observing moderate variations in water temperature.
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Air temperatures at the land-based PV installation are 1.1 degrees Celsius lower than those at the floating PV site. Additionally, the maximum air temperature is higher at the land-based PV location. The lowest and highest recorded sea surface temperatures are 1.8 degrees Celsius and 16.7 degrees Celsius, respectively."
Temperatures
The researchers noticed that the temperature at sea was significantly lower at the floating installation because of higher relative humidity and wind velocity.
The global tilted irradiance (GTI) figure used in the floating system model was based on a tilt angle modified by sea waves. Victron Energy's SmartSolar MPPT 75/15 solar charge controller was used in both simulated setups.
Yield
According to simulations, the ground-mounted array generated 1,192 kWh per kilowatt installed yearly. According to the model, the floating system was 12.96 percent more productive, producing 1,346 kWh. Additionally, the researchers noted that the floating system's global horizontal irradiance (GHI), the total irradiance received on a horizontal surface—was 8.54 percent greater.
Oceans of Energy, a spin-off from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, now operates an 8.5 kW offshore solar pilot project in the North Sea, which will be increased to 50 kW for a year-long testing phase. The plant will soon be expanded to 1 MW and eventually 100 MW.
A Belgian group led by Engie's Tractebel engineering unit is developing another offshore solar project in the North Sea. The consortium, which comprises Dredging, Environmental and Marine Engineering NV, solar installer Soltech NV, and Ghent University, intends to erect the €2 million array near an aquaculture farm and offshore wind farm.