Energies, Vol. 18, Pages 6019: Standardization and Modularization Strategy for the Structures of Floating Offshore Solar Power Systems

Energies, Vol. 18, Pages 6019: Standardization and Modularization Strategy for the Structures of Floating Offshore Solar Power Systems

Energies doi: 10.3390/en18226019

Authors:
Kyusuk Lee
Moonok Kim
Alfredo Esteve
Oscar Sainz

With the growing global need for climate change mitigation and the transition to renewable energy, the development and adoption of photovoltaic (PV) power generation technologies have accelerated significantly. However, land-based PV systems face increasing limitations due to land scarcity, high costs, and environmental constraints. Consequently, floating offshore PV systems that utilize marine environments have emerged as promising alternatives. This study introduces a novel structural redesign specifically developed to enable full containerization of floating PV platforms, adapting the PV–bos model by Spain’s BlueNewables for standardized offshore deployment. The research focuses on the standardization and modularization of floating structures to allow repetitive factory production and efficient container-based logistics. The methodology includes modular segmentation, and transportation simulation, which together establish standardized unit configurations that minimize uncertainty during manufacturing, assembly, and installation. By applying containerization principles to structural design, the study proposes standardized component dimensions and optimized container loading strategies to enhance productivity, constructability, and scalability. The novelty of this research lies in establishing a quantitative framework that integrates modular segmentation and standardized container logistics into floating PV structural design—a topic that has not been previously addressed in offshore solar studies. The results demonstrate substantial improvements in logistics efficiency and cost reduction, achieving over 80% savings in transportation CAPEX for a 0.5 MW floating PV system using 40 HC (High Cube) and 45 HC containers. Future research will complement these strategies through finite element and hydrodynamic simulations to validate the structural and environmental performance of modular joints under real marine conditions, further strengthening the technological robustness and sustainability of standardized offshore PV deployment.