China launches first offshore floating PV project in Qingdao

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠China's first floating solar power project operating entirely in a seawater environment has officially been completed and put into use in Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province, according to China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) on Wednesday.

Covering an area of about 60,000 square meters with an installed capacity of 7.5 megawatts, the project is expected to generate 16.7 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually.

The innovative design allows the photovoltaic panels to float and move with the tides, maintaining a minimal gap between the panels and water surface – only about one-tenth of that seen in traditional pile-based structures. This design optimizes seawater cooling, increasing energy conversion efficiency by 5 to 8 percent.

To tackle the challenges of marine corrosion, biofouling and tidal fluctuations, the R&D team developed special anti-corrosion floats and barnacle-resistant supports. A robust underwater anchoring system has also been engineered to withstand winds up to Force 13 and adapt to a tidal range of 3.5 meters. These advancements reduce capital investment by around 10 percent compared with conventional installations.

The project is expected to serve as a standardized model for future solar development in coastal and shallow marine environments, supporting the broader push toward lower-cost renewable energy in China.