Floating solar pilot project near Canary Islands to face up to 10m-high waves

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
A previous floating solar test system installed by Ocean Sun off the coast of Norway. Image: Ocean Sun.

European Union funding has been secured for a floating solar pilot project in Spain to explore how the technology performs in challenging sea conditions.

A consortium including Ocean Sun and Fred Olsen Renewables will develop the 250kWp floating PV unit off the coast of Gran Canaria, which the partners say is the sunniest part of Europe.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Ocean Sun’s technology is based on a thin polymer membrane that is used to mount PV modules. With waves of up to 10 metres and high winds, the pilot project is an excellent opportunity to explore the outer limits of the floating technology, Ocean Sun said.

Following the installation, all aspects of the system will be analysed and a plan for further commercialisation and large-scale deployments will be developed. The project will also serve to certify Ocean Sun’s floating solar technology for offshore applications in non-sheltered locations.

The pilot has a duration of 30 months and a €4 million budget, which has been provided under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Other partners in the consortium include engineering firm Innosea, the Technological Institute of the Canary Islands and the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands.

Rolf Benjamin Johansen, director of floating solar at Fred Olsen Renewables, said the plant will give the company “valuable insights” for future commercial offshore and nearshore floating parks. The renewables developer last year signed a floating PV research agreement with the Solar Energy Institute of Singapore and is now investigating sites for commercial projects.

The potential for developing offshore floating solar projects in difficult weather conditions will also be explored through a pilot project in Norway announced last week by Equinor. Set to be installed later this year, the plant will sit 3 metres above the sea surface and supply electricity to the power grid on the island of Frøya.

2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.

Read Next

June 9, 2025
Sonnedix has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Renfe to supply 420GWh of renewable energy annually for its commercial operations.
June 4, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Enlight Renewable Energy is expanding its Gecama Wind Project in Castilla La Mancha, Spain, by integrating solar PV and battery energy storage systems.
May 30, 2025
Spanish independent power producer (IPP) has unveiled two new solar-plus-storage projects, one in Central Chile and the other in Spain.
May 28, 2025
The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has launched a Federal Council initiative to accelerate the development of floating solar (FPV) on artificial lakes.
May 28, 2025
Renewables developer Solaria has reached an agreement in principle with Spanish bank Banco Sabadell to finance a 175MW solar PV plant in Spain.
May 23, 2025
TotalEnergies has commissioned its largest solar portfolio in Europe, a collection of five assets in Spain with a combined capacity of 263MW.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece