China’s first semi-submersible offshore photovoltaic power platform delivered by CIMC Raffles

Recently, China’s first semi-submersible offshore floating photovoltaic power generation platform with independent intellectual property rights, which is developed by CIMC Raffles, was delivered to CIMC Offshore Solar Technology (Yantai) Co. Ltd. (“CIMC Solar”) after launching and towing.

China’s first semi-submersible offshore floating photovoltaic power generation platform with independent intellectual property rights was launched and towed. The platform is equipped with four individual floating arrays with a total installed capacity of 400kWp and a total net deck area of about 1,900 square meters. The platform comprises eight systems and they are floating structure support system, buoyant material system, multi-body connection and mooring system, fender collision avoidance system, photovoltaic power generation and inverter system, intelligent monitoring system, dynamic sea cable transmission system and power consumption system. These systems allow for safe operation of the platform in open sea with wave height of 6.5 meters, wind speed of 34 m/s and tidal range of 4.6 meters.

In the context of "Dual Carbon" goal of China, the photovoltaic industry presents broad development prospects. In 2022, CIMC Raffles and Yantai Municipal Government jointly funded the establishment of CIMC Solar, which provides integrated solutions for the comprehensive development of offshore photovoltaic relying on CIMC Raffles' rich experience in the engineering of semi-submersible products. As the first generation of offshore PV products of CIMC Raffles, the successful installation and smooth delivery of this PV platform fully demonstrates the delivery capability of CIMC Raffles in commercialized semi-submersible PV platforms, and is an important milestone for CIMC Raffles and CIMC Solar to make successful exploration in the PV field.

According to CIMC Raffles, the platform is the first semi-submersible offshore PV demonstration project completed in China. Relying on CIMC Raffles' rich experience in semi-submersible product engineering, the platform, based on the concept of multi-floating body array connection, successfully demonstrated the feasibility of semi-submersible offshore floating PV, which will provide effective reference for subsequent product development, large-scale application, and demonstration of cost of energy, and provide an exploration demonstration and guidance path for promoting "semi-submersible PV to deep and distant sea".