DNV has published two new coordinated standards for floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) systems with the aim of improving their safety, reliability, and long-term performance.
These two new standards, DNV‑ST‑C108 Structural design of floats for floating photovoltaic systems and DNV‑ST‑E309 Station keeping of floating solar photovoltaic systems, are complemented by DNV‑RP‑0584 Design, development and operation of floating solar photovoltaic systems, said to be the world’s first recommended practice on FPV, launched in 2021 and with an update set for this June.
DNV‑RP‑0584 covers requirements, recommendations and guidelines for the design, development, operation and decommissioning of FPV systems, focusing primarily on sheltered inland and near‑shore water bodies, while explicitly defining the limits of applicability for harsher offshore environments, where it is only applicable as general guidance or reference document.
According to DNV, the documents together provide a comprehensive and aligned framework for the design, analysis, operation and risk management of FPV systems across their full life cycle, from component to system level.
“Floating solar is moving from niche applications to large-scale infrastructure,” said Ditlev Engel, CEO, Energy Systems at DNV. “These new standards are designed to help the industry manage risk, improve reliability and enable innovation while maintaining appropriate safety margins.”
The first new standard, DNV‑ST‑C108, defines technical requirements for the structural design and qualification of FPV float structures for short‑term and long‑term performance and introduces a flexible, performance-based design approach that aligns engineering and testing requirements with the potential consequences of float failure. It includes requirements covering safety classification, design basis, material qualification, structural design, testing and corrosion protection, with particular attention to non‑metallic materials and degradation due to solar irradiation.
DNV‑ST‑E309, the second one, establishes principles and methodologies for the design of mooring and station-keeping systems, provides guidance on design loads, load combinations and analysis procedures, and includes specific requirements for components and system configurations to reduce the risk of failure across the station-keeping system.
“The principles and terminology used across the two standards are aligned, providing industry stakeholders with a coherent and consistent set of guidance documents for floating solar photovoltaic systems,” said Daniel Pardo Tovar, Global Lead Floating Solar, Energy Systems at DNV. “By creating a common technical language and a clear link between component‑level requirements and system‑level guidance, DNV is helping developers, owners, insurers and regulators work from the same foundation.”
