The new floating PV structure removes the traditional maintenance paths between module rows, allowing more solar panels to be installed per hectare. Ciel & Terre has also developed a motorized trolley system that can roll over the structure.
French floating PV specialist Ciel & Terre has unveiled its new floating solar system WattRack.
Designed to build high-power floating solar power plants, WattRack is a semi-rigid system that removes traditional maintenance paths between module rows through a compact design that allows the installation of more solar panels, with a density of up to 2.2 MW/hectare.
It features a rail-based structure with an east-west configuration, which the company says reduces the mechanical load on the floating PV structure, making it possible to design larger installations with fewer anchorage points.
Details on the company’s website add that WattRack offers complete customizability to meet a project’s technical requirements and environmental constraints.
The system features cable management, support for on-water inverters and a dedicated power channel. It is said to be able to support all standard PV module sizes, is available with 5 and 12 degree tilt angles and with custom angles available upon request.
Ciel & Terre’s website also states that WattRack has undergone tests validated under real-world conditions and is designed to last up to 30 years.
The company has also developed a motorized trolley system that rolls directly over the floating solar structure for when all operating and maintenance work is required.
The WattRack trolley features an integrated control panel, allowing it to move in any direction across the array. It also includes parking brakes, a safe accelerator pedal and an anti-derailment system to provide maximum safety.
The trolley has a load capacity of 300 kg without affecting buoyancy, a travel speed of up to 5 km/h and an autonomy of up to five hours, allowing operators to carry out any necessary maintenance on modules, electrical components or anchorage points, the company added.
Ciel & Terre’s portfolio of operational floating solar assets includes more than 340 projects in more than 30 countries with a combined capacity of approximately 1.4 GW. In October, the company shared its new triangular floating design called Fusio.
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