Ukraine to explore floating solar with Norwegian-Turkish partners

Norwegian company Ocean Sun has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ukrainian Zhytomyr City Territorial Community and Turkey’s HICC Heavy Industry Construction to explore the deployment of a floating solar power plant with a capacity of up to 25 MWp.

According to Ocean Sun, the MoU sets the stage for technical and environmental feasibility studies, stakeholder engagement, and permitting work for a floating photovoltaic (FPV) installation in Zhytomyr.

“Ocean Sun is proud to contribute to the rebuilding of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Through our patented floating solar solution, we aim to support a sustainable and forward-looking energy transition. This MoU marks the beginning of a collaborative journey, and we look forward to working closely with our Ukrainian partners to assess the potential for a future installation,” said Kristian Tørvold, CEO of Ocean Sun.

If the feasibility phase and financing arrangements are successful, the planned facility will deliver electricity directly to the Zhytomyr municipal grid, aiming to reduce transmission losses and enhance local energy resilience.

Galina Shymanska, Secretary of the Zhytomyr City Council, said the city welcomes the opportunity to work with Ocean Sun, HICC, and international partners who share its vision for a sustainable, green future. She noted the agreement reflects Zhytomyr’s commitment to embracing innovation and collaborating with key players in the renewable energy sector. 

“HICC has been established in Ukraine for more than 7 years providing construction services to various wind and solar power projects. We find the opportunity to work with Ocean Sun’s patented technology and the Zhytomyr City very exciting. It is time to rebuild Ukraine both faster and to the better,” said Ergün Seçmeer, CEO of HICC.

In a separate development, China-based GCL System Integration (GCLSI), a subsidiary of the GCL Group, introduced a 480 W floating solar module in June for offshore use. The NT10/60GT module was developed in collaboration with Ocean Sun.