Aydem Renewables to expand hydropower plant in Turkey with floating solar power system

Aydem Renewables is developing a project for turning its Adıgüzel hydroelectric facility of 62 MW into a hybrid power plant, by installing three floating photovoltaic units on its reservoir. The solar power segment would have 45.2 MW in peak capacity.

Renewable energy producers in Turkey are developing numerous diverse projects for hybrid power plants. Combining wind or solar power plants with batteries has become mainstream, together with adding photovoltaics to wind parks. Interesting investments are underway at existing hydropower plants as well. Some of the latest announcements came from Aydem Renewables, also known as Aydem Yenilenebilir Enerji.

The utility based in Denizli in the Aegean region is working on the environmental impact assessment study for integrating a floating solar power plant with its Adıgüzel hydroelectric plant. The 62 MW facility is located in the Ulubey district in Denizli province.

The floating photovoltaic system would consist of three units with a combined peak capacity of 45.2 MW. It would be set up on the hydropower plant’s reservoir, partly in the neighboring Uşak province, on the Büyük Menderes river.

Grid supply not to exceed current 62 MW

Aydem Renewables values the project at TRY 407 million or EUR 11 million at the current exchange rate. The floating PV plant would span 45.7 hectares.

Interestingly, the company said the hybrid power plant wouldn’t exceed the licensed capacity utilization, now at 62 MW. It means it is counting on solar power only as an auxiliary source, a backup to make daily output more reliable and stable. At the same time, the operator can save water in the reservoir for the hydropower plant to be more active when there is no sun.

According to the plan, ten inverters will be on land. The Adıgüzel hydropower plant has two turbines, generating 280 GWh per year. It was commissioned in 1996.

Aydem Renewables to integrate small floating PV plant with its Göktaş hydroelectric complex

Aydem Renewables received regulatory clearance in late December for adding a floating solar power plant of 7.5 MW in peak capacity to its Göktaş hydropower complex in Adana province. Its total capacity is 275.6 MW.

The company already operates one hybrid power plant, in Banaz district in the province of Uşak. Two years ago it installed an 82.2 MW solar power plant as an auxiliary source for its Uşak wind farm of 127.5 MW. The PV panels are bifacial.

Overall, the utility owns 25 power plants of 1.17 GW in total capacity, of which 20 are hydropower systems.