Recording of Wednesday, June 19, 2024 | The smarter E Europe 2024 | Exhibition Program | Language: English | Duration: 13:05 .
The discussion focuses on Europe's largest floating solar project—a 73-megawatt peak plant in France, with Mr. Vincent Grumetz from Ciel & Terre International providing insights into its construction and challenges. Ciel & Terre International specializes in floating solar projects, having installed over 300 globally, totaling nearly 1.6 gigawatts of capacity since starting in 2013. This French project, developed by Q-Energy and constructed by a consortium including Solution 30 and Perpetuum, spans six lakes covering more than 127 hectares—with the power plant itself occupying about 45 hectares. It involves significant logistical coordination due to limited storage space on site for the large volume of components like modules and floats. Key challenges include optimizing Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) despite higher initial capital expenditures for structures and mooring lines unique to floating setups. Operational expenses (OPEX) are also higher due to specialized equipment required for maintenance tasks performed far from shore. To enhance efficiency, design optimizations include self-oriented modules at a five-degree tilt with high packing density—achieving around 1.7 megawatt-peak per hectare compared to ground installations' lower densities. Detailed preparation is crucial; organized logistics minimize onsite stock while ensuring timely supply flow. Overall, Grumetz emphasizes that each floating solar project requires bespoke solutions tailored to specific sites’ conditions for long-term reliability over decades.
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Large installations are developing rapidly, and innovative applications in this area are on the rise: Hybrid power plants combine PV with wind or batteries or both, while floating PV uses water surfaces as power plant sites. This session will present projects such as Europe's largest floating PV installation and Sukari, the world's largest off-grid hybrid power plant. The latest trends in project development, EPC, O&M and Asset Management will also be discussed.