China has deployed what’s claimed to be the world’s first integrated floating wind, solar and fish farming system.
Chinese developer Longyuan and turbine-maker Shanghai Electric launched the debut system off Nanri Island in Fujian Province.
The floating unit consists of a three-column semi-submersible platform, 4MW Shanghai Electric wind turbine, PV modules and a hexagonal caged zone within the platform’s central area for aquaculture.
“The pioneering convergence of wind power, photovoltaics, and aquaculture presents a new horizon for the industry,” claimed a statement from the project partners.
The importance of aquaculture in Chinese and other Asian coastal economies has made its integration into burgeoning offshore wind developments there a key focus for the industry.
Another major Chinese wind player, Mingyang Smart Energy, said earlier this year it plans to deploy a foundation and net cage system by the end of 2023.
