Sinopec Launches China’s First Commercial Floating Offshore Solar Plant

Image: Sinopec

Chinese energy giant Sinopec has commenced operations at the country’s first commercial floating offshore solar power plant, marking a significant milestone in offshore renewable energy deployment.

Located off the coast of Qingdao in Shandong province, the 7.5 MW facility was developed with support from provincial and municipal authorities. Built entirely in a seawater environment, the project covers 60,000 square meters and is expected to generate 16.7 million kWh of electricity annually—equivalent to reducing carbon emissions by 14,000 tons per year.

This installation is Sinopec’s largest floating solar project to date and incorporates a previously built pile-based floating PV system. Designed to adapt to tidal movement, the floating structure keeps the panels close to the water surface, maximizing the cooling effect and improving generation efficiency by 5% to 8%.

Sinopec highlighted three major innovations that enable the system to function reliably in marine conditions:

Salt-resistant materials to combat corrosion and marine fouling,
A high-durability mooring system engineered to withstand level 13 wind forces and tidal variations of up to 3.5 meters,
A low-profile maintenance walkway that lowers operations and maintenance costs.

“Sinopec overcame the challenges of applying PV technology in seawater environments through three key innovations,” the company said in a statement, citing corrosion-resistant materials, storm-resilient anchoring, and improved maintenance access as core features that enhance cost-efficiency and system reliability.

The project is part of Sinopec’s broader strategy to integrate solar power with green hydrogen production. It builds on earlier achievements such as China’s first “carbon-neutral” hydrogen refueling station and a large-scale seawater hydrogen production pilot.

Looking ahead, Sinopec plans to expand the offshore floating solar platform to 23 MW, reinforcing its renewable energy supply chain. In 2023, the company also launched the world’s largest solar-to-hydrogen project in Xinjiang, targeting an annual output of 20,000 tons of green hydrogen through solar-powered electrolysis.