The advent of offshore solar power systems heightens the need to secure greater efficiency and performance for this floating power generation technology. In response, French floating photovoltaics (PV) specialist Ciel & Terre has devised a new approach to floating PV plant design with a rail-based structure.

Source: Ciel & Terre

The semi-rigid WattRack system removes traditional maintenance walkways between module rows via a compact design that enables the installation of more solar modules, offering a density of up to 2.2 MW/hectare. The rail-based structure is engineered with an east-west configuration, which the company says reduces mechanical loads on the floating PV system, making it possible to design larger plants with fewer anchoring points. Validation testing under real-world conditions confirmed that WattRack is designed to last up to 30 years.

A motorized trolley has also been developed to streamline the operation of plants built with WattRack. It offers a 300 kg load capacity, a travel speed of 5 km/h and an integrated control panel enabling automated movement across the floating plant. This mobile car allows operators to move freely across the entire floating array and safely perform maintenance on PV modules, electrical components or anchoring points.