The effect of wave response motion on the insolation on offshore photovoltaic installations

Abstract

Offshore photovoltaic energy is possibly the most important future step in the harnessing of solar energy. Since no long-term offshore photovoltaic installation exists to date, various unknowns are still present, creating a research gap. For instance, floating structures will have some type of response to incoming waves. This response is highly dependent on the design of the floating structure. This response will have some effect on the insolation on offshore photovoltaic systems installed on floating structures. This research presents a simulation tool that would allow an offshore system designer to assess this effect in order to minimize it and thus, optimize the energy yield of the system. Furthermore, this simulation tool was verified with an experimental setup simulating sinusoidal wave responses and the results are presented in this research. Finally, a parametric analysis was performed taking days close to the 21st of each month of the year for photovoltaic installations facing south with fixed inclinations of 30 ° and 5 ° This research will improve the design of offshore floating platforms used for photovoltaic installations.