BlueNewables starts floating solar project in Vigo, design certification underway

BlueNewables, a Spanish engineering consultancy supporting the marine energy sector, has reached several development milestones in its PV-BOS floating solar project, progressing toward offshore deployment.

The company confirmed that steel cutting for the first PV-BOS platform took place at San Enrique Shipyard, part of Marina Meridional in Vigo, Spain.

“Some weeks ago we have officially cut the first steel for the first PV-BOS platform at San Enrique Shipyard, part of Marina Meridional, in Vigo. This marks the beginning of the construction phase, in collaboration with a highly experienced shipyard partner. Congrats to our team in Vigo, Alfonso López Loureiro, Clara Garcia Sanz, Cecilio Barahona and rest of supporting team,” BlueNewables said in a social media post.

Alongside fabrication, design certification is underway with Lloyd’s Register. This process is being led by BlueNewables’ engineering team in Madrid, working with Lloyd’s personnel in both Madrid and the UK.

“We are currently working with Lloyd’s Register on the design certification process, a demanding but essential step to provide greater confidence and reliability in our technology. This certification will be a key differentiator for scaling up PV-BOS in future projects. Our engineering team lead by Fernando Vigara Martin in Madrid is working closely with Lloyd’s team in Madrid and UK. Remarkable work Manuel Ruiz, Felipe Vittori and team,” the company added.

On the electrical side, component manufacturing is ongoing at Norinver Montajes e Ingenieria’s facilities in Ferrol. Equipment currently under assembly includes solar panels, switchboards, and a transformer station.

PV-BOS, a technology developed by BlueNewables, combines bifacial solar panels with modular floating platforms and containerized inverters. According to the company, the system uses seawater as a natural refrigerant to improve energy efficiency.

In April, Spain-based company Abervian entered into a strategic collaboration with BlueNewables to support the development of a 1 MW floating solar platform, scheduled for installation in the Port of Valencia, Spain, in 2026.