Renewable

July 16 (Renewables Now) - The first floating solar photovoltaic (PV) installation linked to a hydropower plant (HPP) in the Philippines is already operational, equipment supplier GCL System Integration Technology (SHE:002506) announced today.

The pilot plant, with a capacity of 200 kW, is owned by Philippine renewable energy group SN Aboitiz Power-Magat (SNAP) and is the company’s first non-hydro project. The PV system in the Magat reservoir will now undergo a pilot testing period of 10 months, initially covering the house load power consumption of SNAP’s Magat hydropower complex in Luzon.

Provided that results of the testing are satisfactory, SNAP will look to expand the facility in the future, according to the statement.

GCL System's partner in the development of the PV modules was Norway-based Ocean Sun. The parties recently entered a partnership to cooperate on the development of PV modules for floating PV applications at the SNEC PV expo and conference in Shanghai.