Floating photovoltaic installations in Maltese sea waters

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) installations require about 7-10m 2 of area per Kilowatt Peak (kWp) of power. This is quite a considerable area where space is scarce, such as regions with high population densities, cities or small islands. In such cases, large scale photovoltaic installations are not viable on land. However, if one can develop a viable and economically feasible solution to install photovoltaic installations at sea, a much greater area can be utilized for renewable energy. The aim of this study was to build and test prototypes of floating PV installations suitable for marine environment deployment. Different floating devices, mounting techniques and PV modules technologies were used in this study. The installations were deployed at sea, and data was recorded. The data,collected over an extended period of time,was compared with that of a similar installation constructed on land. . The costing and feasibility of the marine installation was also modelled and studied. Sea-based modules performed better than land-based similar systems, and a design that meets both the durability and the cost requirement appears possible. The lessons learnt from these prototypes may be carried forward in designing future floating installations.