Mechanical performance of key components in floating photovoltaic systems: technological advances and application prospects

Abstract

Floating photovoltaic (FPV) technology is emerging as a highly promising approach to accelerate decarbonization of the global economy, due to its higher power generation efficiency and lower land occupation. With the rapid development of FPV technology, the mechanical performance degradation of key components caused by the harsh marine environment has become a pressing issue, as it significantly contributes to failure behavior observed in FPV systems. A comprehensive compilation of the mechanical performance of key components in FPV systems is also currently unavailable. Here, the mechanical behavior of each structural component in FPV systems under harsh marine environments is systematically reviewed. It further emphasizes the synergistic effects of mechanical performance degradation among different components on the overall system. The drop-off rate ( v ) of normalized EAB of polymer under the synergistic effect of various environmental factors increases from 7.5×10 −4 h -1 to 21.8×10 −4 h -1 compared with the single environmental stress. Moreover, the development of novel materials and innovative mechanical structures applied in FPV systems to enhance mechanical performance is discussed. The novel flexible PV modules applied in FPV systems minimize the loads acting on the mooring lines by 80% and increase power generation by 5%. Notably, this paper provides a theoretical foundation for developing standards of FPV systems, especially the establishment of standards related to the synergistic effects of the mechanical performance degradation of different key components on FPV systems.