Hidroelectrica to begin construction of its pilot floating photovoltaic plant

Romanian state-owned hydropower plant operator Hidroelectrica picked the contractor for a 10 MW floating solar power plant, its first, on the reservoir of the Ipotești hydroelectric plant.

Hidroelectrica awarded the contract for the construction of the Proiect Pilot Nufărul floating photovoltaic system.

The pilot project could open the way for the installation of a group of such facilities, also on the Olt river and in a joint venture with Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co. (Masdar).

Pilot floating plant is part of wider push for synergy of photovoltaic technology with hydropower

Notably, Hidroelectrica picked the contractor last month for setting up solar panels on the roofs of its 20 hydroelectric plants. They are on the middle and downstream parts of the Olt river as well.

The site for the 10 MW pilot project is the reservoir of the 57 MW Ipotești hydropower plant. Hidroelectrica conducted the procurement through a tender, which it valued at EUR 9.3 million excluding value-added tax. The utility awarded the deal to Waldevar Energy, which won with a bid of EUR 7.7 million excluding VAT.

The firm’s subcontractors are Marine Research, S.C. DHI-SW Project, and Makor Energy Solutions.

Project implementation is limited to 14 months, of which the works would last ten months.

Hidroelectrica to learn from new investment to replicate it

The floating power plant will consist of bifacial photovoltaic panels of 620 W, inverters of 100 kW, energy optimizers and four transformer stations, the documentation reveals. Annual output is estimated at 13.4 GWh. The floaters would be made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

The facility would be connected to the grid via the Ipotești hydropower plant.

Hidroelectrica pointed out that it aims to diversify the production portfolio and capitalize on synergy between solar and hydropower. The state-owned hydropower operator intends to obtain know-how from the construction and exploitation of the pilot system and replicate the concept elsewhere.

The turnkey contract includes design, purchases, assembly, installation, testing and commissioning.

Hidroelectrica operates 188 plants with a capacity of 6.4 GW overall. It has one wind farm, Crucea Nord, of 108 MW.