The initial power units of China's first 1-gigawatt offshore photovoltaic project have been connected to the State Grid. The project is located in Dongying, East China's Shandong Province, and funded by Guohua Energy Investment Co, a CHN Energy subsidiary. The image shows an aerial view of the project. Photo: CHN Energy website

The initial power units of China's first 1-gigawatt offshore photovoltaic (PV) project have been connected to the State Grid, said the State Power Investment Corp on Wednesday. This project marks a significant step forward, serving as a model for the global expansion of offshore solar energy.

The project is located in Dongying, East China's Shandong Province. Funded by Guohua Energy Investment Co, a CHN Energy subsidiary, it is the largest offshore solar project in China's open sea regions. 

The project is the first in the world to employ large-scale steel truss platform piling technology for offshore installations, which was used to install 2,934 PV platforms, according to CHN Energy.

It is also the first project in China's PV industry to implement 66-kilovolt offshore and onshore long-distance transmission lines, delivering greater transmission capacity at a lower cost.

Compared with traditional offshore photovoltaic transmission lines, it features higher capacity, delivers more electricity per unit of time, and provides enhanced cost efficiency.

The project was approved by China's State Council in July this year, covering an area of approximately 1,223 hectares, and has a total installed capacity of one gigawatt.

Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate 1.78 billion kilowatt-hours annually, enough to meet the power needs of about 2.67 million urban residents in China for a year. It will also save 503,800 tons of standard coal and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1.34 million tons, according to a statement from CHN Energy. 

As a vital component of clean energy, offshore PV systems are showing unprecedented growth momentum, bolstered by a range of favorable policies.

On July 11, 2024, China's State Council Information Office released a white paper on marine ecological environmental protection, promoting the efficient and intensive utilization of marine resources. The document called for the integrated and multi-dimensional development of offshore PV projects.

China's offshore PV installed capacity is projected to surpass 60 gigawatts by 2027, according to a statement from China Forward Industry Research Institute Co, a Hong Kong-based industry research firm.

Global Times