St John s Energy Storage Photovoltaic Project Installation

Shanghai will begin the first round of selections for offshore solar power generation projects with a minimum scale of 1 million kilowatts by the end of this year, according to the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission. The move is part of the country's stepped-up efforts to promote the development of offshore solar energy.

An offshore PV company's booth is seen during a solar power expo in Shanghai in June. [CHINA DAILY] Shanghai will begin the first round of selections for offshore solar power generation projects with a minimum scale of 1 million kilowatts by the end of this year, according to the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

Offshore photovoltaics can utilize tidal flats, islands, nearshore areas and even deep-sea locations, helping to alleviate land resource constraints, Lin said. Before Shanghai's initiative to develop offshore solar power, provinces like Shandong and Zhejiang had already introduced policies to promote the development of offshore photovoltaics.

Offshore photovoltaics were first proposed by the National Energy Administration in April last year. Experts said there is significant growth potential for offshore photovoltaics, which leverage vast ocean areas and abundant sunlight to overcome land limitations and provide a new platform for solar power generation.

Reports indicate that about 30 gigawatts of offshore photovoltaic projects have been announced or initiated recently," said Jiang Hua, deputy secretary-general of the China Photovoltaic Industry Association. "Additionally, the industry's ongoing cost reductions and efficiency improvements have broadened its economic potential," he said.

Cui Lin, deputy secretary-general of the offshore photovoltaic professional committee of CPIA, said the rapid development of offshore solar power will give rise to emerging sectors like hydrogen production from seawater using offshore photovoltaics.