French floating PV (FPV) specialist Ciel & Terre and pan-Asia renewable energy company HEXA Renewables have completed the expansion of what they term is one of Taiwan's largest and most-technically challenging near-shore floating solar projects.
With both these partners completing the expansion of 192.3 MW capacity, the Changbin Floating PV Project in Changbin Industrial Park now has an installed capacity of 440 MW. This includes 280 MW commissioned by Ciel & Terre Taiwan.
The French company said the area is considered as one of the most challenging sites for FPV due to the tidal changes twice a day in sea water environment with occasional typhoons. It factored in these challenges in the FPV project design.
Changbin 3 and 4 projects, representing 192.3 MW capacity, use a patented technology called New Pillar Anchoring Solution, developed by the 2 partners. It deploys concrete pillars and an H-beam system for anchoring design.
They developed a customized floating solar solution including an upgraded spreader bar and fixation parts, and a reinforced connection pin to strengthen the material to resist to wave conditions. These 2 projects have modules spread over 171 hectares of water surface.
Altogether, the 440 MW Changbin project is designed to generate 260 GWh annually, equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 65,000 average households, said the French company.