Norway’s Sunlit Sea Secures DNV Certification

• DNV has awarded its DNV-RP-0584 certification for floating solar PV systems to Norway's Sunlit Sea
• It means the design of prefabricated, serially connected solar PV panels is compliant with recommended practice
• Sunlit Sea's technology laminates solar panels on top of the float and says it allows for easier, faster and cost effective installation

Global quality assurance and risk management company DNV has issued a Statement of Conformity for Norwegian startup Sunlit Sea's prefabricated floating solar PV (FPV) systems certifying that its design complies with recommended practice.

Sunlit Sea's design consists of prefabricated and serially connected solar panels using heat conductive aluminum floats that are arranged to fit a regular shipping container. According to the company, this string of panels can then be pulled out of the container and towed to the site by a boat. Various strings are in this way connected to each other to make up a larger solar array.

Solar panels used are laminated on top of the float. The entire system is corrosion resistant due to oxide layering that forms a protective coating, it adds.

DNV says its Recommended Practice DNV-RP-0584 Design, development and operation of floating solar PV systems concludes that Sunlit Sea's design basis complies with the necessary requirements. It is applicable globally and was a joint industry project analyzing site conditions, energy yield forecast, mooring and anchoring system, floating structures, permitting and environmental impact (see Recommended Guidelines For Floating Solar PV).

"The floating solar industry is experiencing fast growth; in this young and growing segment, it is of paramount importance that new innovative solutions as proposed by Sunlit Sea, follow a proven and internationally recognized quality-based approach taking into account all aspects of floating solar: design impact, environment and safety," said Prajeev Rasiah, Executive Vice President for Northern Europe for Energy Systems at DNV.

Sunlit Sea's CTO Bjørn Hervold Riise said the results of the work and comments provided by DNV will be implemented in the product design.

DNV says till April 2022, global installed solar PV capacity of FPV grew to over 3 GW with Asia and Europe as dominating the scene, and is expected to reach up to 20 GW to 25 GW by 2030.

Sunlit Sea's technology reminds of Australia's 5B also offers a similar solution for faster deployment of large scale ground mounted solar projects with its prefabricated connected solar panel technology it calls Maverick. The company is technology partner of Sun Cable's massive Australia Asia Power Link (AAPowerLink) whose solar capacity has swelled to now 20 GW (see Australia's 5B Tech Partner For 10 GW Solar Project).