Sinopec launches first floating offshore solar plant in China’s seawater zone

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), together with Shandong Province and Qingdao Municipality, has commenced operations of China’s first commercial floating offshore photovoltaic (PV) project in a full-seawater environment. 

According to Sinopec, the project integrates a previously installed pile-based floating PV system and now represents Sinopec’s largest floating PV power station to date. The 7.5 MW facility spans roughly 60,000 square meters and is expected to deliver 16.7 million kWh of electricity annually, cutting CO2 emissions by 14,000 tons.

Positioned in a sea-connected zone, the installation leverages the water surface to maximize space use. Sinopec said the project design reduces the distance between panels and the water surface to around one-tenth of that in conventional pile-based configurations. The proximity allows for more effective seawater cooling, increasing power generation efficiency by 5-8%.

To address the challenges of deploying PV in marine environments, the project incorporates several key adaptations. According to Sinopec, the floating structures and support frames have been engineered to resist salt mist corrosion and marine growth, including barnacles. 

The anchoring system is designed to tolerate wind speeds up to level 13 and handle tidal variations of up to 3.5 meters. Sinopec estimates that this setup reduces investment costs by about 10 percent compared to traditional offshore pile-based PV systems. 

The low-clearance layout also simplifies access for inspection and maintenance, contributing to improved safety and reduced operational costs.

Sinopec has previously built what it describes as China’s “first carbon-neutral hydrogen refueling station” and its first industrial-scale seawater hydrogen production project. The new floating PV project is seen as a key link in its broader energy strategy, aimed at producing green hydrogen using solar-generated electricity. 

The company plans to expand the current installation with an additional 23 MW of floating PV capacity.

In terms of recent floating solar news from China, local firm GCL System Integration (GCLSI), a subsidiary of the GCL Group, developed a new floating photovoltaic (PV) module designed for offshore solar applications. The NT10/60GT module was produced in collaboration with the Norwegian company Ocean Sun.