Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 110 (2019) 332–347

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Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rser

A review on floating photovoltaic (FPV) power generation units T

a a,∗ b a
Parisa Ranjbaran , Hossein Yousefi , G.B. Gharehpetian , Fatemeh Razi Astaraei
a
Department of Renewable Energies and Environment, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
b
Electrical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Keywords: The floating photovoltaic (FPV) system is a new power generation system which has attracted a wide attention
Floating photovoltaic (FPV) due to its numerous advantages. Apart from power generation, the system can reduce the water evaporation.
FPV allocation Development of FPV power plants requires studying both mechanical and electrical structure of these systems.
Evaporation reduction Many studies have been conducted on FPV systems which have assessed these systems from different points of
Emission
view. In this paper, an analytical analysis and updated review that studies different aspects of FPV systems as a
FPV array reconfiguration
DC-DC converter
power generation system is presented. Also, a comparison between the ground mounted and floating PV systems
is presented and the gaps of the reviewed subjects are indicated. Furthermore, the applicable FPV array inter-
connection schemes are discussed and the most favorable reconfiguration schemes for FPV arrays are shown,
also multilevel DC-DC converters for grid integration of FPV panels are investigated. Reviewing the articles
indicated that the main focus of the researchers was on the experimental study and mechanical investigation of
FPV systems as well as the impact of the application of these systems on water evaporation. The present research
has a potential to make a contribution to the electrical design and application of FPV panels which are less
described in the existing papers.

1. Introduction
The consequences of growing energy demand including the deple-
tion of fossil fuels, increasing global warming, and greenhouse gas
emission, necessitate the development and penetration of Renewable
Energy Sources (RES) all over the world [1]. Being environmentally
friendly, RES are good choices for supplying the energy demand, solar
power systems are of interest [2]. Nowadays solar energy has become
one of the most applicable sources of energy. It is used in a variety of
ways and has potential to be an alternative to conventional energy
resources [3]. The most common form of solar energy application is
photovoltaic (PV) system, which absorbs the sunlight to directly create
electricity [4]. One of the promising applications of PV modules is
floating photovoltaic (FPV) system, which having higher level of effi-
ciency and it can reduce evaporation of water reservoirs as well.
Due to its high potential of power generation, the application of
renewable energy technologies in forms of offshore and floating on
water, is developing rapidly. These systems including wind offshore,
floating photovoltaic, and floating solar chimney have attracted a wide
attention [5–10]. The construction and installation of FPV power plants
have begun since 2007, as one of the first FPV projects in Aichi, Japan,
was installed for research purposes with the capacity of 20 kW [11].
Ueda et al. [12] explored this project with the aim of analyzing water
cooling effect on the power output of FPV panels. Since then, the ap-
plication of FPV power generation systems expanded in many countries
such as USA, Italy, Spain, France, South Korea, and Singapore [12].
Recently a 40 MW FPV power plants have been installed in China [13]
and presumably in the future, the capacity of FPV power plants will be
increased even more. As a matter of fact, approximately 25% of the
electrical energy demand throughout the world can be supplied by
covering just 1% of natural basins surfaces by FPV panels (in 2014)
[14]. In many countries like Iran, the construction of FPV plants has
begun [15]. Many studies have been conducted to develop the FPV
system and improve the power generation. In 2013, Ferrer-Gisbert et al.
[16] assessed the operation of the new FPV system in an agriculture
reservoir consisting of polyethylene floating modules which have de-
veloped by both CELEMIN Energy and the Polytechnic University of
Valencia. Also, Sacramento et al. [17] investigated cooled FPV modules
on three different reservoirs in Brazilian semi-arid region and compared
the efficiency of the floating PV systems with the efficiency of ground-
mounted PVs.
The main components of the FPV systems are including Pontoon or
separate floats, mooring system, PV modules, underwater cables, elec-
trical connections, and inverters [16,18]. One of the important factors

∗
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: hosseinyousefi@ut.ac.ir (H. Yousefi).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.05.015
Received 15 April 2018; Received in revised form 17 April 2019; Accepted 6 May 2019
Available online 11 May 2019
1364-0321/ © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
P. Ranjbaran, et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 110 (2019) 332–347

in designing PV systems is indicating the interconnection among PV

modules, which plays an important role in partial shading condition
(PSC). In this regard, many researchers have proposed various inter-
connection configurations that can be applied to FPV arrays. Villa et al.
[19] presented a detailed study on available PV array interconnection
schemes suitable for shaded conditions and some connection laws for
3 × 3 arrays. Ko et al. [20] analyzed the PV operation under PSC and
assessed the influence of applying damaged bypass diode on PV thermal
and electrical characteristics. Satpathy et al. [21] investigated the ad-
vantages of each conventional interconnection topologies and by ex-
perimental investigations, indicated the most optimal one.
To increase the low output voltage of PV modules, various converter
configurations are utilized which have the ability to raise the voltage to Fig. 1. Submerged photovoltaic system [29] [Reprinted with permission from
the desired value and make the grid integration of PV systems possible. Elsevier].
Tofoli et al. [22] classified the most useable non-isolated boost based
converter configurations and indicated the merits and demerits of the assessed. In section 3, a comparison between FPV and PV systems is pro-
existing schemes. Azidehak et al. [23] analyzed the operation and vided, and in the last section, the best-suited converter, and interconnec-
control of the converters which provides the PV integration. Anurag tion scheme for FPV systems, then the paper conclusion is presented.
et al. [24] developed a grid-connected transformerless PV system in-
cluding a DC-DC converter for grid integration with the purpose of
2. Allocation
keeping the efficiency in the grid voltage peaks.
In 2015, Trapani and Santafé [11] reviewed the installed FPV pro-
The application of PV panels on the sea surface or freshwater basins
jects throughout the years 2007–2013 such as a larger-scale project
is rapidly increasing. The FPV power plants are mostly installed on
with a capacity of 175 kW implemented in California (2008) and a
water bodies like lakes, irrigation reservoirs, mine lakes, dam lakes, and
24 kW FPV prototype installed in Spain with the purpose of reducing
etc. Considering the wind impact as well as the effect of saltwater on
the evaporation. In 2016, Sahu et al. [18] in addition to reviewing the
corrosion of the systems, the application of FPV panels on seawater is
installed FPV systems and discussing the mechanical structure and
limited [27]. As a solution for this problem, the application of the
components of these system, outlined the advantages and dis-
flexible thin film has been proposed which can float on the waves [28].
advantages of these systems. The paper also provides an overview of the
In order to reduce the environmental impacts on the panels, the sub-
technology of FPV plants, its design, and current state. Furthermore, it
merged PV systems have been introduced, which can keep the panel
is predicted a large increase in the installation of FPV systems in den-
temperature in a stable range, simplifies the inverter structures and do
sely populated countries including India. In this paper, the impact of the
not need to be cleaned [29,30]. Fig. 1 shows a submerged photovoltaic
application of FPV systems on the environment has been addressed,
system. In comparison with conventional panels exposed to the air, this
however, the detailed analysis of this effect, like the impact on the
configuration is approximately 20% more efficient in summers [18]. In
decrement of Co2 emission has been neglected. Kim et al. [25] reviewed
this section, some aspects of the allocation of FPV power plants are
recent research on floating solar systems and thirteen installed FPV
assessed and the summary of investigated studies is provided in Table 1.
power plants in South Korea from 2009 to 2014. Several projects are
being carried out by many different organizations, including govern-
2.1. Power generation
ment companies, to install more FPV power plants in Korea. In 2018,
Cazzaniga et al. [26] investigated the installed FPV systems on water
One of the factors restricting the operation of PV modules is over-
surface and the raft system in a review article. Furthermore, different
heating due to excessive solar irradiance and high ambient temperature
solar floating system designs have been proposed to increase the effi-
[31]. It has been indicated that one-degree increase in temperature of
ciency of this system. Systems utilizing features such as tracking,
monocrystalline (c-Si) and polycrystalline (pc-Si) silicon solar cells
cooling, and concentrating have specifically been discussed and the
decreases the efficiency about 0.45% and 0.25% for c-Si and pc-Si,
results have indicated a significant impact of tracking and cooling on
respectively [32]. Different methods have been used to reduce the
the system efficiency. Moreover, the possibility of integrating the sto-
temperature of solar panels including photovoltaic thermal system
rage system with the FPV structure has been assessed. In this paper,
(PVT), application of water or air, using phase change materials (PCM),
although a thorough review of FPV structure has been presented, an
etc. [33–36]. Dust is another factor which diminishes the efficiency of
economic evaluation as well as an investigation on electrical aspects of
PV modules [37]. The FPV system is a new and developing power
these systems are required.
generation system and the efficiency of these systems is more than the
The goal of this paper is to survey the researches and indicate the gaps
conventional PV systems due to the cooling effect of water and having
in this field, moreover, proposing some electrical discussions to expand the
less dust deposition. The temperature of the PV modules can be attained
application and potential of these systems. Most of the review papers on
by the following equation [38]:
FPV systems have mainly reviewed the constructed plants and generally
focused on the mechanical structure and have given a general overview of GT 9.5 m
these systems. A detailed analysis of the allocation of these systems and Tm = Ta + (TNOCT Ta, NOCT ) 1
GT , NOCT 5.7 + 3.8V (1)
comparison the operation of the floating and ground-mounted PV systems
is essential. Also, the review of research of this field indicated that the where Tm is the PV module temperature (°C), Ta is the ambient tem-
electrical scheme of these systems has not been investigated. In order to fill perature (°C), GT is solar radiation (W / m2 ), GT , NOCT is solar radiation at
this gap of knowledge, a review of the literature on floating photovoltaic NOCT (Nominal Operating Cell Temperature) condition (W / m2 ), V
systems as well as a survey on electrical aspects such as electrical con- wind speed (m / s ), TNOCT and Ta, NOCT are the PV module and ambient
nections of PV arrays and multilevel DC-DC converters utilization as a grid temperature respectively in the NOCT condition (°C), m module effi-
interface, are conducted in the current work to advance the understanding ciency (%), and is the effective transmittance-absorptance product.
in this field. Furthermore, dominant features of FPV configurations having According to the cooling effect of water, it has been illustrated that
a significant influence on FPV systems propagation, are regarded. In the the operating temperature of FPV panels is approximately 3.5 °C lower
second section, the allocation and exploitation aspects of FPV systems are that the operating temperature of conventional ground-mounted PV

333
 Table 1
Summary of studies about allocation of FPV systems.
Author(s) Brief title Highlights Methods and Materials Discussions and Considerations
P. Ranjbaran, et al.

Cazzaniga et al. Floating tracking cooling Introducing a novel Floating tracking cooling concentrating (FTCC) system which Analysis Presentation an economic comparison between the proposed
(2012) [59] concentrating was more efficient in comparison with conventional FPV systems. configuration and the conventional FPV schemes
Trapani K, Millar Proposing offshore photovoltaic Presenting a feasibility study and economic assessment of PV offshore which Feasibility study Evaluation of the reliability of PV offshore systems
(2013) [6] technology indicated a great potential of installation in Malta and investigating the CO2
emission reduction
Ferrer-Gisbert A new FPV cover system Covering 7% of an agriculture reservoir which resulted in water evaporation Feasibility study Detailed calculation of water evaporation reduction and
et al. (2013) reduction. presentation of more data about the impact of FPV panels
[16] surface on water evaporation reduction
Trapani et al. Novel offshore application of Providing a techno-economic assessment of different offshore power generation Techno-economic analysis Calculation of payback period and net present value
(2013) [79] photovoltaics systems such as wind offshore, floating PV, wave and tidal energy technologies.
Santafé et al. Theoretical and experimental Indicating the design characteristics and components of an FPV system and Techno-economic and Presentation of a theoretical model for the evaporation
(2014) [42] analysis installing a 20 kWp prototype FPV power plant and evaluating the evaporation empirical analysis reduction prediction of FPVs
and CO2 emission reduction of the system.
Choi and Lee A study on development Presenting the design concept and investigating the structure of the first tracking Analysis Assessment of life span of tracking-FPV systems
(2014) [60] type FPV.
Choi et al. (2014) A study on major design elements, Presenting the basic design futures of tracking type FPV and utilization of GPS Design assessment Presentation of more empirical data and analysis of wind effect
[61,62] A study on development receiver and terrestrial magnetism sensor in the tracking system and tracking on the structure
algorithm to reduce the error.
Lee et al. (2014) A study on development of ICT Proposing a control system composed of 2.45 GHz Zigbee network and solar Controller design Presentation of more detailed analysis of the monitoring system
[63] tracking sensor to control and monitor a 100 kW tracking type FPV system.
Teixeira et al. Feasibility Study of a Hydro PV Analyzing the feasibility of installation of 60 kW FPV system on a hydroelectric Feasibility study Evaluation of the feasibility of integrating larger FPV plants into
(2015) [74] dam located in Val de Serra, Brazil using Homer software. hydroelectric power plants
Trapani and Millar Floating photovoltaic arrays Presenting the pros and cons of using thin film (a-Si) PV panels in floating systems Techno-economic analysis Demonstrating of the effect of the type of PV panels on the
(2015) [43] in comparison to crystalline PV panels. evaporation
Ho et al. (2015), Thermal and electrical Assessing the effect of the utilization of MEPCM on the temperature and efficiency Numerical simulation and Presentation of an experimental analysis and application of

334
(2016) performance of the FPV system. Analysis different PCMs
[56,57]
Song and Choi Analysis of the Potential for Use of Assessing the potential of FPV systems on a mine pit lake and simulating the Simulation and Analysis Consideration the profit of abating the emission of CO2 in the
(2016) [44] FPV energy production using SAM software and presenting the economic and CO2 calculation of net present value.
emission evaluation.
Won et al. (2016) FLOATING PV POWER SYSTEM Presenting a reliability study on a test bed 100 kW and commercial 500 kW FPV Reliability assessment Indicating the factors affecting the reliability of the FPV panels
[86] systems and illustrating that module nominal power declines slightly by the rate
of 13.9%, after twenty-five years
Solanki et al. Assessment of offshore solar Assessing the mean global horizontal radiation and the power production of FPV Analysis Evaluating the economic aspects
(2017) [45] energy systems in different regions of India.
Rosa-Clot et al. FPV plants and wastewater basins Evaluating the feasibility of application of FPV panels on wastewater basins of Feasibility study Investigation of the impact of the application of the FPV covers
(2017) [46] Australia and estimating the evaporation reduction and calculating the on the evaporation model.
installation cost.
Mittal et al. Floating solar photovoltaic systems Investigating the installation of 1 MW FPV plants in two different places in India Feasibility study Calculation of water saving price
(2017) [9] and estimating the reducing of evaporation and CO2 emission.
Kim et al. (2017) Fabrication and Construction of Presenting different levels of the construction of a 6 MW FPV power plant in Korea Analysis of design, fabrication, Presentation of an economic comparison between the assessed
[47] FPV and evaluating the structures and installation structures
Kim et al. (2017) Design and Construction of 1 MW Assessing the process of the construction of a 1 MW FPV on a waterway of the Investigation of design and Assessment of the reliability of the system
[48] cooling water intake channel in a thermoelectric power plant construction
Mittal et al. Potential of FPV System Investigating the potential of the FPV plants in power generation and water Analysis Evaluation of the potential of the FPV systems in CO2 emission
(2017) [49] evaporation decrement reduction in these lakes
Rahman et al. Solar Lanes and Floating Solar PV Calculating the electricity generation by FPV panels on Kaptai Dam in Bangladesh Numerical calculation and Consideration of all the environmental parameters in the
(2017) [50] Simulation calculation of power generation
Azami et al (2017) Theoretical analysis of reservoir- Evaluating the total cost and payback period of a 1.45 MWdc FPV power plant in Theoretical analysis Estimating the profit of the decrement of the CO2 emission and
[81] based 15-khordad dam in Delijan, Iran. water evaporation
Cazzaniga et al. Compressed air energy storage Proposing an innovative compressed air energy storage mechanism integrated Principal design analysis Conducting more experimental research
(2017) [69] with FPV systems which is suitable for both fixed and tracking systems.
Liu et al. (2017) Power Generation Efficiency and Assessing the potential of FPV installation in China and estimating the water Comprehensive analysis Presentation of more detailed information about integrating FPV
[39] Prospects of FPV evaporation reduction. systems into hydropower plants
(continued on next page)
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 110 (2019) 332–347
P. Ranjbaran, et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 110 (2019) 332–347

panels [39]. In addition to the aforementioned benefits, these systems

More detailed explanation about evaporation reduction and the

Studying the impact of the angle of the panels on the cooling

are able to reduce water evaporation, CO2 emission, and algae growth

Assessment of the combination of FPV panels with Pumped-

Analysis of reliability of the inverters being floated and the

Analysis of the other FPV hybrid systems and optimization

Determination of the profits from CO2 emission reduction

relation between the FPV surface area and the amount of
[40]. Having these advantages, the utilization of FPV panels on water
surfaces including lakes and seas is getting expanded [41].

Consideration the profit of the water has been saved

Analysis of the degradation rate of the FPV system In order to evaluate the possibility of installation of floating pho-
tovoltaic panels on the sea surface of the Maltese islands, Trapani and
Demonstration of the electrical requirements
Miller [6] by investigating the solar irradiance condition, the available
infrastructure, and energy demand, have presented a feasibility study,

placement of the electrical equipment

which has indicated a great potential of installation FPV in this region.
In another study, the principal design characteristics and different
Discussions and Considerations

components of an FPV system have been indicated with the aim of

water evaporation reduction. Also, a 20 kWp prototype FPV power
storage hydroelectricity
evaporation reduction

plant has successfully been installed over an irrigation water reservoir

in Agost (Alicante, Spain) illustrated in Fig. 2 [42]. In another research,
the pros and cons of using thin film (a-Si) PV panels in comparison to
crystalline PV panels in floating systems have been presented [43]. In
2016, the potential of FPV systems was assessed on a mine pit lake in
effect

Korea and the energy production was simulated using System Advisor
Model (SAM) software [44]. The results of this study showed that the
Techno-Economic analysis and
Simulation and Optimization

proposed system could produce 971.57 MWh/year by covering 87,650

Design analysis, Modelling
Modelling and Simulation

m2 of water surface. Solanki et al. [45] have assessed the mean global
Analysis and Calculation

Calculation and Analysis

Modelling and Analysis
Methods and Materials

Numerical calculation

horizontal radiation and the power production of offshore PV systems

Feasibility study and

in the exclusive economic zone of India. Rosa-Clot et al. [46] have

feasibility study

and Simulation

evaluated the feasibility of the application of FPV panels on wastewater

Simulation

basins of Australia and have concluded that for wastewater basins, the
fixed panels are more appropriate in comparison with the tracking type.
In a feasibility research, Mittal et al. [9] have investigated the in-
stallation of 1 MW FPV plants in two different places in India. The
Conducting a feasibility study on the accumulation of Jablanica Lake and proving

Demonstrating that the degradation rates of the FPV system are below 0.5% p.a.

computational fluid dynamic (CFD) and ANSYS-Fluent 17.0 software respectively

that there is a possibility of installation of 30 MW FPV plant on an area of 380250

Assessing a hybrid power plant composed of 20 kW FPV panels and 130 kW diesel

Appraising the construction of the FPV power plants in 3401 reservoirs in Korea in
Indicating that the 1 MW FPV power plant is capable of reducing 191.174 million

order to evaluate the potential of this system to decrease the green gas emission
Performing a feasibility study of construction a hybrid power plant consisting of

Studying the cooling system and temperature distribution of FPV panels, using

evaluated power generation of the FPV system at Kota barrage was

Analyzing different scenarios have been in order to indicate the most reliable

18,38,519 kWh/year and 18,58,959 kWh/year at Kishore Sagar lake.

Indicating the feasibility of hybrid configuration (FPV-Fuel cell) by PvSyst
configuration and showing that floating PV systems were more reliable in

software and HOMER Pro software in Mumcular Dam located in Turkey

Different levels of construction of a 6 MW FPV power plant in Korea,

including design, fabrication, and installation, and evaluation of dif-
hydropower and FPV panels in Laranjeiras dam, in southern Brazil

ferent structures of FPV systems has presented and discussed [47].

Moreover, Kim et al. [48] have assessed the process of the construction
of a 1 MW FPV on a waterway of the cooling water intake channel in a
liters of evaporated water at Jodhpur in India annually

thermoelectric power plant. An investigation of installation of FPV,

through four cases of covering panels, on four different lakes of Ra-
comparison with ground-mounted PV systems.

jasthan in India, has demonstrated that this system has the potential to
produce of 3 MW–27 MW in these lakes [49]. Rahman et al. [50] have
also calculated the electricity generation by FPV panels on Kaptai Dam
in Bangladesh. The results of a feasibility study on the accumulation of
Jablanica Lake have proved that there is a possibility of installation of
30 MW FPV plant on an area of 380250 m2 [51]. Tofani et al. [52] have
assessed a hybrid power plant composed of 20 kW FPV panels and
130 kW diesel generator. In another investigation, the cooling system
and temperature distribution of FPV panels have been studied using
computational fluid dynamic (CFD) and ANSYS-Fluent 17.0 software
Highlights

generator

respectively [53]. It is illustrated that, in order to enhance the power

generation of FPV plants, more optimization study should be done.
m2

One of the proposed solutions for controlling the temperature of PV

and FPV modules is the application of the microencapsulated phase
Design and analysis of a combined
OPTIMIZATION OF FLOATING PV
Comparison of FPVPlant with SPV

Analysis and Prioritization of FPV

Prediction Model of Photovoltaic
Feasibility Study of a PV Hydro

change material (MEPCM) at the back of the modules [54,55]. In this

Computational fluid dynamic

regard, some studies have been conducted to assess the effect of the uti-
Techno-Economic Analysis

lization of the MEPCM on the temperature and efficiency of the FPV

FPV Plants on Artificial

system [56,57]. The MEPCM reduces the temperature of the modules and
thus improves the efficiency of the FPV modules. The economic assess-
Accumulations

Hybrid System

ment of this configuration should be evaluated to confirm the feasibility of

FPV system
modelling
Brief title

this combination. The proposed configuration is shown in Fig. 3.

Many factors impact the operation of FPV panels. Wind or other
environmental factors move the floating structures and cause deviation
Table 1 (continued)

in the azimuth angle so the output power of the system is reduced. The
Vasco et al. (2018)

Lawrence Kamuyu

Temiz and Javani

Kim et al. (2019)

et al. (2018)
(2017) [78]

(2017) [87]

(2018) [51]

(2018) [52]

(2019) [53]

(2019) [70]

aim of using tracking system is to maximize the power generation of PV

Indartono
Pašalić et al.

panels [58]. In 2012, Cazzaniga et al. [59] introduced a novel Floating

Tofani et al.
WÄSTHAGE

Sutanto and
Mittal et al.
Author(s)

[75]

[88]

[80]

Tracking Cooling Concentrating (FTCC) system, which was more effi-

cient in comparison with conventional FPV systems. Choi and Lee [60]
have presented the design concept and structure investigation of the

335
P. Ranjbaran, et al.
Fig. 2. Installed prototype FPV system: a) Aerial view and b) Side view [42]
[Reprinted with permission from Elsevier].
first tracking type FPV. In this research, FRP materials have been uti-
lized in tracking-type FPV structure. The basic design futures of the
tracking type FPV and utilization of GPS receiver and terrestrial mag-
netism sensor in the tracking system and tracking algorithm has been
presented in Refs. [61,62] to reduce the error caused by changes in
environmental factors. It is claimed that the structure of the floating
tracking-type can be more simple than ground tracking-type [62]. A
control system composed of 2.45 GHz Zigbee network and solar
Fig. 3. MEPCM layer attached to back of FPV panel [56,57] [Reprinted with permission from Elsevier].
336
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 110 (2019) 332–347
tracking sensor has been proposed to control and monitor a 100 kW
tracking-type FPV system [63].
Due to the uncertainty and variability of the power generation in PV
systems, the necessity of utilizing a proper storage system has been proven
[64]. The main storage mechanism in PV systems has been restricted to
batteries [65] but in FPV systems other technologies like compressed air
energy storage [66] and water pumped storage systems [67,68] can simply
be used. In this regard, Cazzaniga et al. [69] have proposed an innovative
compressed air energy storage mechanism integrated with FPV systems
which is suitable for both fixed and tracking systems. In this configuration,
the steel cylinders are employed to keep pontoon buoyancy of FPV panels
as well as store the compressed air. Another method for compensating the
drop in the energy production of FPV systems due to the lack of sunlight is
the application of an electrolyzer to produce and store hydrogen in a fuel
cell generator. Temiz and Javani [70] have assessed the feasibility of this
hybrid configuration by PvSyst software and HOMER Pro software in
Mumcular Dam located in Turkey, and the outcome of this study has
shown a satisfactory result.
Using the existing infrastructure of hydroelectric plants, apart from
the possibility of water pumped storage, has many advantages for FPV
system to be installed on hydroelectric dams as a hybrid power gen-
eration system to reduce the costs [71]. It has been found that hydro-
power plants and PV plans have complementary profiles that can op-
erate along with each other [72]. But it needs more detailed studies to
evaluate the feasibility of these systems under different situations [73].
In an investigation, the feasibility of installation of 60 kW FPV system
on a hydroelectric dam located in Val de Serra, Brazil has been analyzed
using Homer software [74]. The outcome of this research indicated that
the optimal solutions of the assessment by Homer are not feasible, but
non-optimal results indicated a scheme that can be cost-effective. In
another research, Vasco et al. [75] have performed a feasibility study of
construction a hybrid power plant consisting of hydropower and FPV
panels in Laranjeiras dam, in southern Brazil.
2.2. Evaporation reduction
Due to the increasing concern all around the world about the water
shortage crisis, reducing the water evaporation from reservoirs espe-
cially in the arid and semi-arid region is vital [76]. Application of PV
panels on the water reservoir surface as a solution for reducing the
water loss is worth attention. One of the advantages of using FPV cover
system is reducing the water evaporation of water reservoirs [72,77]. In
this regard, Ferrer-Gisbert et al. [16] have covered 7% of an agriculture
reservoir resulting in water evaporation reduction and protecting
agricultural lands. Santafé et al. [42] have studied the water
P. Ranjbaran, et al.
evaporation reduction of a reservoir which was completely covered by
floating PV panels (4490 m2 ). The results indicated that the cover could
save 5000 m3 of water (25% of the reservoir's storage capacity). The
estimation of the effect of the application of FPV cover on water eva-
poration reduction in South Australia using Penman-Monteith method
has been presented in Ref. [46]. It has been concluded that the FPV
cover could reduce the evaporation by 90%. An assessment has been
conducted in China indicating that the potential of the FPV installation
is about 160 GW which covers about 2500 km2 of water surface and
reduces the water evaporation by 2 × 10 27m3 /year [39]. It has been
estimated that 1 MW FPV power plant was capable of reducing the
evaporation by 37 million liters of water in India [9]. It is indicated that
the 1 MW FPV power plant is capable of reducing 191.174 million liters
of evaporated water at Jodhpur in India annually [78]. Mittal et al. [49]
studied the water evaporation decrement of four lakes of Rajasthan, by
considering four different cases of covering (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%)
of lakes' surface. The saved water caused by utilizing FPV panels was
indicated to be 64 million liters to 496 million liters annually.
The results of the studies show the potential of the FPV systems to
considerably reduce the evaporation. Therefore, given the water crisis
in many countries, this system can be used as a solution to reduce the
water loss due to evaporation in arid and semiarid areas. Installing
these systems on agricultural and drinking water reservoirs, in addition
to reducing the evaporation, improves water quality by decreasing the
growth of algae. But the impact of floating solar systems on the water
environment including algae growth should be studied more. Analyzing
the articles indicated that most of the studies have experimentally
evaluated the water evaporation decrement and only few studies uti-
lized evaporation models to assess the evaporation reduction. To have a
better perspective about the application of the FPV systems, having a
theoretical model to predict the effect of this system on the water
evaporation reduction is necessary.
2.3. Economic evaluation
Trapani et al. [79] have provided a techno-economic assessment of
different offshore power generation systems such as wind offshore, FPV,
wave and tidal energy technologies. It has been concluded that floating
thin film PV systems could be competitive with offshore wind power
systems from economic point of view. The cost of power generation of
offshore PV power plants, including the annual capital costs, O&M
(operations and maintenance), and fuel costs, in Malta is also assessed
in Ref. [6]. In another study, an economic comparison between thin
film and crystalline PV modules has been presented in the different
configurations, which has indicated that due to the less infrastructure
requirement, thin film PV system has less cost [43]. Song and Choi [44]
have evaluated the economic aspects of locating PV modules on a mine
pit lake. It has been shown that the net present value has been esti-
mated to be $897,000 USD and the payback period would be 12.3
years. The net present value (NPV) and the payback period (PBP) of the
FPV systems can be estimated by Eq. (2) and (3) respectively [80,81]:
n
Et Ct
NPV = C0
(1 + r )t (2)
t=1
In the equation, N is the period of the system operating, Et is elec-
tricity sales income per year (USD), Ct the annual operating cost (USD),
r is the discount rate, and C0 is the initial cost (USD).
X
PBP =
(3)
Y
where X is the total cost of the FPV power plant with all auxiliary
equipment and Y is the total annual revenue after the installation of the
PV system.
In another assessment, Azami et al. [81] have evaluated the total
cost and payback period of a 1.45 MWdc FPV power plant in 15-
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khordad dam in Delijan, Iran. The outcome of the investigation has
revealed that the total cost of the construction of this plant and the
payback period would be about 1.71$/Wp USD and 10.2 years, re-
spectively. An economic evaluation of a 1 MW FPV power plant con-
sisting of 3200 photovoltaic modules PV module rating is 320 Watt in
Australia has indicated that the total cost of this project would be about
$1,112,200 USD [46]. For ground-mounted photovoltaic power plants,
relatively high ground costs, construction work, and the installation of
sustained bases on ground installations are required. Floating structures
usually account for 25% of the total cost of building floating power
plants, but this is usually less than the cost of buying and providing an
equivalent land in the area [18]. Operational and maintenance costs in
floating systems are often lower respect to ground-mounted systems
since the water needed for cleaning is available and the components of
these systems are less heated. Detailed economic evaluations of FPV
systems, including calculation of water saving and greenhouse gas
emission reduction cost, are required research in this field.
2.4. CO2 emission Reduction
It has been shown that PV systems can help alleviate the CO2
emission [82]. The amount of greenhouse gas emission reduction of an
FPV power plant is estimated by the amount of the generated green-
house gas of a fossil fuel power plant when generates the same amount
of electricity generates by an FPV power plant. It can be calculated by
Ref. [44]:
Gt = Es × 10 3 × G × (1 + ) (4)
In this equation, Gt is the amount of decreased greenhouse gas
emission (tCO2 /year ), Es is the generated electricity of the FPV power
plant per year (MWh/year ), G is the standard value of greenhouse gas
emission of each country (tCO2 /year ), and β is the average rate of the
loss of power transmission and distribution.
It has been estimated that the FPV systems have the potential to
mitigate the carbon emission by 25% for a 250 MW plant [6]. A cal-
culation of the CO2 emission of FPV systems has indicated that the total
carbon footprint of the FPV installation is about 137.73 kgCO2 /m2 [42].
In another study, the annual CO2 emission reduction caused by instal-
ling an FPV system on a mine pit lake has been calculated and the
results have shown that the FPV configuration could save 471.21
tCO2 /year [44]. A study in India has indicated that the FPV systems
could mitigate about 1.7 tons of CO2 emission per year [9]. Kim et al.
[80] have appraised the construction of the FPV power plants in 3401
reservoirs in Korea in order to evaluate the potential of this system to
decrease the green gas emission. The results have shown that this
system is able to produce 2932 GWh power and reduce the green gas
emission by about 1,294,450 tons annually.
Given the increased pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels,
solar floating systems can be a suitable substitute for fossil fuel-based
energy sources.
2.5. Reliability and durability
PV module reliability and durability issues are among the main affairs
for the competitiveness of solar technology [83]. Increment in operating
temperatures decreases the reliability and energy yield of PV modules
[84]. So, by reducing the operating temperature, the reliability and dur-
ability of PV modules will be increased. Currently, the lifetime of the PV
module is about 25 years [85]. In an assessment, the durability of the FPV
structure has been investigated under compression test, tensile test, and
dynamic test [60]. Won et al. [86] have presented a reliability study on a
test bed 100 kW and commercial 500 kW FPV systems. The results have
illustrated that module nominal power declines slightly by the rate of
13.9%, after twenty-five years. In another research, different scenarios
have been analyzed in order to indicate the most reliable configuration
[87]. The outcome has shown that floating PV systems were more reliable
P. Ranjbaran, et al.
in comparison with ground-mounted PV systems, and also the scenario
consisted of the tracking system was more reliable than the fixed PV
system. The results of a study demonstrated that the degradation rates of
the FPV system are below 0.5% p.a [88].
The investigation of the studies proved that more research in the
field of reliability and stability of the FPV systems are necessitated in
order to improve the application of these systems.
3. Comparison between FPV and PV system
As mentioned above, locating the PV panels on the water surface
helps reduce the PV temperature and enhance the efficiency of the
panels. Many studies have conducted in order to indicate the super-
iority of the FPV systems in comparison with the conventional PV
systems from environmental point of view [89]. Also, several research
has perused the cooling effect of water by comparing the characteristics
of FPV systems with ground-mounted ones. Two main factors con-
sidered for comparison of the performance of the floating and ground-
mounted PV systems are module efficiency (ME) and efficiency gain
(EG). The efficiency of the PV modules is calculated by:
Vmpp × Impp
ME = × 100
Pin (5)
The efficiency gain of the FPV system represents the enhancement of
the performance of the PV modules, which is the result of the cooling
effect of water, is calculated by:
floating ground
EG = × 100
ground (6)
Vmpp is the voltage of the maximum power point, Impp is the current
of the maximum power point, Pin is the input solar radiation, floating and
ground are the values of conversion efficiency for the floating and
ground-mounted forms, respectively.
In Ref. [12] a comparison has been provided between the operation
of a 10 kW grid-connected FPV system and a 10 kW ground-mounted PV
system. It has been shown that in FPV panels, losses caused by tem-
perature rise had been reduced by 9.6% in summer and 3% in winter. In
2013, Choi et al. [90] have compared 100 kW Hapcheon FPV power
plant in Korea with 1 MW ground-mounted PV power plant in Haman-
gun. It has been indicated that the EG of FPV was greater than 11% and
more. Mohd Azmi et al. [91] have provided a comparison between the
power output and the temperature of the floating and ground-mounted
PV systems in three different solar radiation conditions. The results
have indicated that due to the cooling effect of water, the electrical
power output of FPV modules was higher than ground-mounted PV
modules. The reasons for the superiority of FPV systems over ground-
mounted PV systems have been investigated by Choi [92]. Also, the
efficiency of the system under different environmental conditions has
been studied. In another study, Lee et al. [93] have presented an in-
troduction on the different stages of the design, construction, and in-
stallation of an FPV power plant at the sea site in Korea. The power
Fig. 4. Structure of installed FPV system [93] [Reprinted with permission from
Elsevier].
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Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 110 (2019) 332–347
generation of this power plant has been measured and compared with a
ground-mounted PV power plant it has been shown that the power
generation of the FPV system from June to August was significantly
greater, however, from September to October the amount of power
generation of ground-mounted PV was higher than floating PV. Fig. 4
shows the installed FPV system of this study. Majid et al. [94] have
tested and compared the performance of the floating and ground-
mounted PV systems and illustrated that in a 2-h experiment, exposing
sunlight, the EG of the floating type was greater than 15.5%. In another
analysis, the power generation of floating and ground-mounted PV
systems have been compared by PVSYST software in Brazilian climate
condition [17]. The results have indicated that the floating system was
about 12.5% more efficient than the ground-mounted system. In 2016,
the electrical performance of a 250 W FPV power plant has been com-
pared to the same capacity ground-mounted PV power plant [95]. The
outcomes have indicated that the floating system has about 0.79% more
efficiency compared to the other system. In another research, the water
cooling effect on the temperature and efficiency of the FPV modules has
been investigated in China climate condition [39]. The results have
shown that because of the water cooling effect, the operation tem-
perature had been reduced by 3.5 °C which results in an EG by about
1.58–2.00% in comparison with ground-mounted PV modules. An in-
vestigation in Jodhpur city in India has shown that compared to the
ground-mounted PV system, FPV has 2.48% more power generation
yearly, and the temperature of the modules in this system was 14.56%
less [78]. Yoon et al. [96] in addition to explaining the mechanical
structure of the FPV systems, have compared a 100 MW floating PV
plant with a 100 MW ground-mounted PV plant and have indicated the
superiority of floating type.
By assessing these studies, it is found out that FPV systems have
superior performance in comparison with land-based PV systems.
Generally, floating PV systems can enhance efficiency of modules by
about 12%. However, more studies are needed for evaluating the effect
of the geographical location and other factors on efficiencies of FPV and
PV systems. Also, the differences in the standards of the construction of
floating and ground-mounted PV systems should be assessed more de-
tailed. In Table 2 the summary of the investigated studies is presented.
4. Interconnection scheme for FPV systems and best-suited
converter
Every Individual power generation system should be appraised from
both mechanical and electrical point of view. The mechanical aspects of
the FPV systems have been investigated in many articles. In this section,
the electrical interconnection of the FPV arrays and the application of a
DC-DC converter have been studied which can be similar to the issues
that have been discussed in PV systems.
4.1. Interconnection methods
The exploitation of solar farms has many challenges. Despite the
recent advances in solar cell technology, there are some small limita-
tions such as sun exposure dependency and other environmental con-
ditions that reduce the output of the PV system [97]. One of the factors
that affects the performance of PV systems is the loss due to a lack of
coordination in the electrical characteristics of PV panels due to the
presence of a partial shading in an array. The losses due to PSC reduce
the power output of photovoltaic panels installed in buildings by
5–10% and in large solar power plants by 3–6%, since the received solar
irradiance by modules of PV arrays is at different levels [98]. In other
word, PSC causes PV mismatch as well as hot spots [99–102]. Another
issue of PSC is the exhibition of multiple peaks in the I–V characteristic
curves [103]. The power drop of PV modules mainly depends on the
array interconnection configuration, the pattern of shadow, and the
location of PV arrays [104]. Many researchers have studied the impact
of interconnections among PV modules on power output in PSC

Table 2
Summary of studies about comparison between FPV and PV systems.
Author(s) Brief title
Ueda et al. (2008) [12] Performance Analysis of FPV
systems
Choi et al. (2013) [90] Empirical Research on the
efficiency
Mohd Azmi et al. (2013) Study on electrical power output
[91]
Choi (2014) [92] A study on power generation
analysis
Lee et al. (2014) [93] Design and installation of floating
type photovoltaic
Majid et al. (2014) [94] Study on performance of FPV
339
Sacramento et al. (2015) Scenarios for use of floating
[17] photovoltaic
Yadav et al. (2016) [95] Energy assessment of FPV system
Liu et al. (2017) [39] Power Generation Efficiency
Mittal et al. (2017) [78] Comparison of FPV Plant with
SPV
Yoon et al. (2018) [96] Structural analysis and design
P. Ranjbaran, et al.
Highlights Methods and Materials Discussions and Considerations
Comparing the operation of a 10 kW grid-connected floating PV system and a 10 kW Performance analysis Conducting an economic comparison
ground-mounted PV system.
Presenting a comparison between 100 kW FPV power plant with 1 MW ground- Calculation and Comparison Demonstrating the discrepancy of the procedure of
mounted PV power plant and indicating that the FPV has greater efficiency by 11% analysis maintenance of the systems
and more.
Providing a comparison between the power output and the temperature of the Experimental study Indicating the differences between reliability and safety
floating and ground-mounted PV systems. of two systems
Investigating the reasons for the superiority of floating PV systems over ground- Empirical analysis Providing a detailed analysis of the impact of wind
mounted PV systems speed on the power generation efficiency
Presenting the different stages of the design, construction, and installation of an FPV Analysis Investigation of the electrical structure of the FPV
power plant and comparing its power generation with a land type PV power plant. system
Illustrating the better performance of FPV modules in comparison with ground- Comparative and Empirical Repetition of the experiments during the year and
mounted PVs. analysis evaluation of the impact of changing of weather
Comparing the power generation of floating and ground-mounted PV systems by Simulation Consideration of the wind effect in the appraisal of the
PVSYST software in Brazilian climate condition and indicating that the floating efficiency
system was more efficient.
Comparing the electrical performance of a 250 W floating PV power with the same Comparative analysis Comparison of the performance of the two PV systems
capacity ground-mounted PV power plant indicating that the floating system had under cloudy condition
more efficiency by about 0.8%.
Investigating the effect of cooling water on the temperature and efficiency of the FPV Simulation and Comparative Assessment of the difference of cost of the required
modules in China climate condition. analysis infrastructure of the two PV plants
Showing that compared to the ground-mounted PV system, FPV has 2.48% more Comparative analysis Comparing the required infrastructures of systems
power generation yearly, and the temperature of the modules in this system was
14.56% less
Explaining the mechanical structure of the FPV systems, comparing a 100 MW Structural analysis Explanation of the reasons for the better performance
floating PV plant with a 100 MW ground-mounted PV plant of the floating type
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 110 (2019) 332–347
P. Ranjbaran, et al.
Fig. 5. Different PV array interconnection topologies (a) series-parallel (SP), (b) total-cross tied (TCT), (c) bridge-link (BL), (d) and honey-comb (HC).
[105,106]. Since the impact of PSC on FPV modules is similar to PV
modules, the PV array interconnection topologies can be applied to FPV
array interconnection to reduce the FPV power loss and mismatch. The
reconfiguration of the photovoltaic arrays is conducted as static and
dynamic methods.
4.1.1. Static reconfigurations
The main interconnection topologies are series-parallel (SP), total-
cross tied (TCT), bridge-link (BL), and honey-comb (HC) [19,107].
These interconnection topologies are illustrated in Fig. 5. The SP to-
pology is composed of paralleled branches containing series modules.
Shaded modules performance will improve if each series branch be
shunted by a diode. However, on the other hand, it increases the cost
and size of the arrays [20,108]. This topology is the most common
configuration and can be utilized in any size of PV installation
[21,109]. The TCT topology is obtained from the SP topology by con-
necting ties across each branch. This structure has the highest re-
dundancy [110]. The TCT can reduce the overall mismatch influence
[109]. The BL topology is composed of modules which are configured in
H-bridge rectifier form. The TCT and BL topologies can increase the
lifespan of arrays by 30% [110]. The TCT is superior compared to BL
from power generation point of view [111]. The HC topology is mod-
ified form of the BL configuration which has combined both TCT and BL
advantages in one solution [109,112].
Many researchers have focused on PV array interconnections in
order to reduce the PV mismatch and present an optimal configuration.
In this regard, Ramaprabha and Mathur [112] have indicated that in
symmetrical arrays, the TCT topology is the most proper configuration
whereas in asymmetrical arrays HC topology is proper. The impact of
varying of shadow pattern on different interconnection topologies for
3 × 3 PV fields has been analyzed in order to indicate the optimal
configuration [19]. Rani et al. [113] have produced a Sudoku pattern
for enhancement of the TCT configuration. This arrangement is a fixed
form of the displacement scheme in which considering Sudoku pattern,
panels belonging to a particular row being physically displaced and
placed in other rows. Both empirical and simulation analyzes have
demonstrated that the proposed configuration has greater output power
in comparison with the conventional topologies. Sahu and Nayak [114]
have provided an innovative approach shadow distribution on PV
modules to improve the electrical output power. This approach is sui-
table for m × n PV arrays which m > n has superior power output in
comparison with the TCT topology. Potnuru et al. [115] have promoted
Sudoku based interconnection scheme which has been introduced ear-
lier. The defects of the previous scheme have been eliminated and the
effect of the proposed configuration on the loss reduction was sa-
tisfactory. Pareek and Dahiya [116] have proposed a new method to
predict the optimal scheme of PV module connections in the TCT
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configuration, as well as the placement of shaded and unshaded mod-
ules in order to equal distribution of shading effect on modules. A
comparison between a novel array scheme named Futoshiki and the
TCT topology has been provided and the results have indicated that
Futoshiki configuration could improve the output power and have di-
minished PV mismatch compared to the TCT topology [117]. With the
aim of improving the efficiency of the TCT configuration, Vijaya-
lekshmy et al. [118] have introduced a novel Zig-Zag scheme. This
configuration method can be implemented in PV arrays with any di-
mension. In this way, the elements in a column in the TCT configuration
are in the same column in the arrangement of the Zig-Zag. The results of
the simulation have illustrated that this scheme by lessening the
number of multiple local maxima in P–V characteristics, can simplify
the MPPT. In another study, the application of the Zig-Zag scheme in
the unequal number of columns and rows have been investigated [119].
Satpathy et al. [120] presented an innovative interconnection structure
named Shadow Dispersion Scheme (SDS) which was based on a com-
puter algorithm to maximize output power under all shading condi-
tions. The experimental assessment of 7 × 7 PV arrays noted that the
SDS configuration had maximum power and minimum power losses in
comparison with the other conventional interconnection topologies.
Bana and Saini [121] have assessed the effect of uniform and non-
uniform shading condition on the performance of PV modules and have
analyzed the results of using bypass diode, also, have presented an
optimal scheme for both uniform and PSC. Rakesh and Malavya [122]
have presented a novel interconnection scheme which reduced the
multiple peaks and enhanced power output in comparison with the TCT
configuration. A new interconnection design based on the TCT topology
has been developed in which the electrical interconnections were fixed
and just the physical location of the panels is changed [123]. Belhaouas
et al. [124] have conducted an investigation of three new PV array
configuration scheme and evaluated them under different PSCs and
also, have compared the proposed schemes with conventional config-
uration topologies. A novel puzzle-based interconnection configuration,
named dominant square (DS), has been provided and experimentally
verified by implementing on 5 × 5 PV array arrangement [125]. The DS
scheme is based on the dominant squared puzzle pattern for placing
numbers in a square matrix. This method is based on numeric logic that
solves a matrix using numbers and letters. Pillai et al. [126] have in-
troduced a new reconfiguration scheme based on the column index
which is able to be implemented to any size of arrays. The capability of
the proposed scheme has been tested and the results were satisfying,
also it is demonstrated that this method is proper for large PV array
reconfiguration. Another novel method for PV array is based on the
two-phase method which is also compatible with the arrays of any size.
The two-phase scheme has been assessed and compared to some most
applicable schemes, including the conventional interconnection
P. Ranjbaran, et al.
schemes (TCT), static methods (SuDoKu), and electrical reconfiguration
(PSO) [127]. The results have indicated the superiority of the two-phase
method from the operational and economical point of view.
As mentioned before, the output power of PV arrays decreases under
PSC and thus, there is a need for determining the optimal PV modules
connection configuration. The PSC losses mainly depend on shading
pattern and can be diminished by applying the proper PV array inter-
connection configuration. It can be said that due to higher power output
and fewer mismatch losses, among the conventional interconnection
schemes the TCT arrangement has the most application. The results of
the review of the fixed reconfigurations under different PSC show that
Sudoku pattern has the best and most suitable configuration for the PV
array among the most popular reconfiguration schemes. But the biggest
limitation of this reconfiguration is that it can only be implemented to
symmetric arrays with the number of rows and columns of the square
number. However, Zig-Zag and DS as well as the novel two-phase
method can be implemented to any size of the arrays. The two most
significant factors that should be considered in selecting the FPV array
configuration are having the most optimal operation and having less
complexity in electrical connections.
4.1.2. Dynamic reconfigurations
Dynamic configuration or electrical array configuration (EAR) is
referred to a process whereby the communication between panels is
changed using some switches in such a way that the difference between
the flow of different arrays are minimized. Using high-speed processor
technology, low-cost switches, and acquisition systems, EAR is con-
sidered one of the most appropriate ways of reconfiguring solar arrays
[128]. In the EAR method, regardless of the size of the array, the
shadow dispersion is obtained by setting the m × n switching. Shadow
dispersion in an PV array minimizes the difference in the flow of rows
and reduces the problem of multiple peaks. EAR method is a proper
method for minimization of the difference in the flow of rows [129]. In
this process, the physical location of the panels remains unchanged, but
their electrical connections are changed by the switches so that a
shadow dispersion can be obtained to minimize the flow difference
between the rows [103]. The most important point in this process is
finding the most optimal configuration at the least time. For this pur-
pose, optimization algorithms such as Genetic Algorithm (GA) and
Particle Swarm Algorithm (PSO) can be used which can best determine
the best arrangement at a low time [103,129].
Picault et al. [130] have provided a novel method to predict the PV
power generation in both shaded and unshaded conditions. It has also
been indicated that modifying the common interconnection configurations
could enhance the maximum output power by up to 4%. A detailed for-
mulation of the PV array reconfiguration is presented in Ref. [100], is
applicable for both symmetrical and asymmetrical configurations and can
reduce the substantial amount of PSC losses. A dynamic PV interconnec-
tion configuration had been presented in Ref. [131]; the results of simu-
lations in MATLAB/SIMULINK have showed that it could improve the
array performance in different shading conditions. Another reconfigura-
tion arrangement has been presented and simulated by Parlak [132] in
Matlab/Simulink toolbox showing satisfying results. Bai et al. [133] have
developed an equivalent circuit to forecast the electrical behavior of PV
systems and validated it empirically. The TCT topology has been in-
vestigated in terms of power generation in order to represent the optimal
arrangement of PV arrays [134]. A new reconfiguration strategy, com-
posed of two parallel PV modules groups which are connected in series,
has been introduced by Tabanjat et al. [135]. In another article, a clus-
tering algorithm has been provided for enhancing the PV arrays output
under different shading conditions [136]. The performance and power loss
of each configuration under PSC has also been analyzed. Rajan et al. [129]
have provided a TCT based interconnection topology including fixed PV
modules and alterable electrical connections. For setting the electrical
connections, standard deviation genetic algorithm (SDGA) is applied for
optimizing. Another study utilized the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)
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for adjustment of electrical connections of PV arrays [137]. Moreira et al.
[138] have developed three different models to forecast the I–V and P–V
characteristics which are useful for designing the array interconnection.
The survey of the electrical characteristics of the array output shows
that the application of the dynamic reconfiguration schemes can reduce
the number of P–V curve peak and the number of I–V curved steps. The
single peak of the P–V characteristic curve provides maximum power
point tracking (MPPT) with a simpler controller. Many researchers have
presented innovative reconfiguration schemes which can be applied to
FPV arrays. But there is a lack of attention in analyze the optimal in-
terconnection configuration of FPV arrays in different sizes, so it is
suggested to individually study the FPV array structures. It is re-
commended to investigate the effect of different interconnection
topologies on the lifespan of FPV modules and assess the corrosion of
electrical connections of FPV arrays.
The summary of the articles about interconnection methods is
presented in Table 3.
4.2. DC-DC converter
Due to the intermittent nature of solar power plants and changes in
the load demand, the integration of these systems has many challenges
[140–142]. The output voltage of PV modules is not meeting the AC
grid voltage. The most of large-scale PV power plants are connected to
the AC grid by central inverters which due to the restricted voltage of
the DC side, operate at low voltage and require one or two voltage step-
up stages for gaining the intended voltage rating [143]. In order to
solve this problem, the DC-DC converter is required for gaining the
intended voltage level [144]. Many DC-DC topologies have been pre-
sented containing multilevel converters [145]. Due to the limitation of
conventional boost converters, the application of multilevel converters
is being expanded [146]. Studies have demonstrated that for long
transmission lines (over 400 km for overhead lines and 60 km for un-
derwater ones) HVDC system is superior in comparison to HVAC sys-
tems [147,148]. The advantages of HVDC system cause its expansion in
many systems such as integrating the PV and offshore wind power
plants [22,23,149,150]. As the grid integration methods of ground-
mounted PV systems can be applied to floating PV systems, in this
section, the multilevel converter is investigated as an FPV grid in-
tegration approach. One of the advantages of multilevel converters is
providing individual MMPT control for PV modules respect to their
light condition and characteristics [151]. Fig. 6 shows the application
of modular multilevel converters (MMC), which has been proposed by
Rojas et al. [148] for integration of FPV arrays into HVDC grid. It
should be noted that in designing the PV converters observance of
standards like IEC 62109-1:2010, which is related to the safety of power
converters for use in photovoltaic power systems, is necessary [152].
In 2003, a control scheme for cascaded H-Bridge multilevel was
presented which was based on independent maximum power point
tracking (MPPT) for each PV array [153]. Flourentzou et al. [154]
presented an overview of the advances of the voltage source converter
(VSC) based high voltage direct current (HVDC) systems and multilevel
converter schemes which is applicable for integration of renewable
resources like wind offshore power plants. In 2013, Echeverria et al.
[143] introduced a novel configuration for integration of PV arrays into
HVDC system based on MMC. The presented scheme is composed of PV
strings, MPPT DC-DC converters, and an MMC DC-DC converter in-
tegrated into an HVDC grid. This configuration is suitable for systems
containing underwater cabling like FPV systems. In Ref. [155], a
modular high step-up DC-DC converter, competent for wind offshore
plants has been proposed which is proper for unidirectional power. In
order to reduce the voltage stress, Gandomkar et al. [156] have de-
veloped a multilevel step-up DC-DC converter for DC connection of
offshore wind power plants. One of the advantages of the proposed
configuration is reducing the device numbers which leads to increase in
reliability. In another research, a multi-modular cascaded phase-shifted
P. Ranjbaran, et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 110 (2019) 332–347

Table 3
Summary of studies about FPV array structures and interconnection methods.
Author(s) Brief title Highlights

Picault et al. (2010) [130]
Ramaprabha and Mathur (2012)
[112]
Villa et al. (2012) [19]
Shams El-Dein et al. (2013) [100]
Rani et al. (2013) [113]
Rao et al. (2014) [131]
Parlak (2014) [132]
Sahu and Nayak (2014) [114]
Bai et al. (2014) [133]
Potnuru et al. (2014) [115]
Pareek and Dahiya (2015) [134]
Tabanjat et al. (2015) [135]
Rathinadurai Louis et al. (2016)
[136]
Pareek and Dahiya (2016) [116]
Sahu et al. (2016) [117]
Vijayalekshmy et al. (2016) [118]
Vijayalekshmy et al. (2017) [119]
Satpathy et al. (2017) [120]
Ko et al. (2017) [20]
Bana and Saini (2017) [121]
Yadav et al. (2017) [139]
Rajan et al. (2017) [129]
Babu et al. (2017) [137]
Moreira et al. (2017) [138]
Rakesh and Malavya (2017) [122]
Horoufiany and Ghandehari (2017)
[123]
Belhaouas et al. (2017) [124]
Dhanalakshmi and Rajasekar
(2018) [125]
Pillai et al. (2018) [126]
Pillai et al. (2018) [127]
Forecasting photovoltaic array power
production
A Comprehensive Analysis of PV Array
Maximizing the Power Output
Optimal Photovoltaic Array
Reconfiguration
Enhanced Power Generation From PV
Array
Maximum Power from PV Arrays
PV array reconfiguration method
Power enhancement of partially shaded
PV
Characteristic output of PV systems
Positioning of PV panels
Power optimization of TCT
Reconfiguration solution for shaded PV
Effective utilization and efficient power
extraction
Enhanced power generation
Maximizing the Power Generation
A novel Zig-Zag scheme for power
enhancement
Performance comparison of Zig-Zag and
Sudoku schemes
A shade dispersion interconnection
scheme
Electric and thermal characteristics
Experimental investigation on power
output
Performance enhancement of partially
shaded PV
Solar PV array reconfiguration
PSO Based PV Array Reconfiguration
Modelling and simulation of PV systems
Maximizing the power output
Optimal fixed reconfiguration scheme
PV array power output maximization
Power enhancement from partially
shaded modules
A simple, sensorless and fixed
reconfiguration scheme
Design and testing of two phase array
reconfiguration
Providing a method to predict the PV power generation in both shaded and unshaded
conditions and also improving the maximum output power by up to 4% by modifying the
interconnection configurations.
Indicating that the TCT topology is the most proper configuration in symmetrical arrays
whereas in asymmetrical arrays the HC topology is proper.
Indicating that SP and TCT configurations are superior compared to other current topologies
and also presenting the optimal interconnection topologies for 3 × 3 PV fields.
Presenting a formulation of PV array reconfiguration applicable for both symmetrical and
asymmetrical configurations in order to reduce the PSC losses.
Producing a Sudoku pattern for enhancement of the TCT configuration and demonstrating that
the proposed configuration has greater output power in comparison with the conventional
topologies
Presenting a fixed PV interconnection configuration which could improve the performance in
different shading conditions.
Presenting and simulating a reconfiguration arrangement in Matlab/Simulink toolbox which
had a significant effect on power generation improvement.
Providing an innovative approach shadow distribution on PV modules suitable for m × n PV
arrays (m > n) and indicating that the proposed reconfiguration has superior power output
compared to TCT arrangement.
Developing an equivalent circuit to forecast the electrical behavior of PV systems under PS and
validating it empirically.
Promoting Sudoku based interconnection scheme which has been introduced earlier and
eliminating the defects of the previous scheme.
Investigating the TCT topology in terms of power generation in order to represent the optimal
arrangement of PV arrays.
Introducing a new reconfiguration strategy composed of two parallel PV modules groups which
are connected in series, with the aim of reducing the complexity and costs of the
interconnection structure.
Providing a clustering algorithm for enhancing the PV arrays output under different shading
conditions and presenting a fixed PV array scheme which could enhance the power output and
reduce the mismatch losses.
Proposing a new method to predict the optimal scheme of PV module connections in the TCT
configuration, as well as the placement of shaded and unshaded modules in order to equal
distribution of shading effect on modules.
Comparing a novel array scheme named Futoshiki with TCT topology and indicating that
Futoshiki configuration could improve the output power and diminish PV mismatch.
Introducing a novel Zig-Zag scheme and illustrating that this scheme, by lessening the number
of multiple local maxima in P–V characteristics, can simplify the MPPT.
Investigating the application of the Zig-Zag scheme in the unequal number of columns and rows
have been
Presenting an innovative interconnection structure named Shadow Dispersion Scheme (SDS) to
maximize output power under all shading conditions.
Investigating the impact of the application of damaged bypass diode on the performance of PV
arrays and junction temperature under PSC.
Assessing the effect of uniform and non-uniform shading condition on the performance of PV
modules and analyzing the results of using bypass diode.
Different combinatorial reconfiguration strategies are modeled in MATLAB/Simulink
environment.
Providing a TCT based interconnection topology composed of fixed PV modules and alterable
electrical connections.
Utilizing the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) for adjustment of electrical connections of PV
arrays.
Developing three different models for forecasting the I–V and P–V characteristics.
Presenting a novel interconnection scheme to reduce the multiple peaks and enhance power
output.
Developing a new interconnection design based on the TCT topology is in which the electrical
interconnections are fixed and indicating that it can reduce the PSC losses and it is applicable
for installing more PV panels in limited areas.
Conducting an investigation of three new PV array configuration scheme and evaluating them
under different PSCs and also, comparing them with conventional configuration topologies.
Providing a novel puzzle-based interconnection configuration and verifying experimentally by
implementing on 5 × 5 PV array arrangement
Introducing a new reconfiguration scheme based on the column index that is able to be
implemented to any size of arrays and testing the capability of the proposed scheme
Assessing a two-phase scheme and comparing to some most applicable schemes, including the
conventional interconnection schemes (TCT), static methods (SuDoKu), and electrical
reconfiguration (PSO) and indicating the superiority of the two-phase method from the
operational and economical point of view

full bridge converter has been implemented for integrating the PV ar- the proposed topology has a significant capability of power balancing.
rays into a DC grid [157]. Yu et al. [158] have theoretically and em- An isolated MMC has been developed for medium-voltage direct current
pirically evaluated the performance of the delta connected cascaded H- (MVDC) application which had small passive components and soft
bridge converter for applying in PV systems. It has been illustrated that switching that is decent for dual active bridge circuits [159]. Rojas et al.

342
P. Ranjbaran, et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 110 (2019) 332–347

Fig. 6. Application of MMC for integration of FPV arrays into HVDC grid.

Table 4
Summary of studies on multilevel converters.
Author(s) Brief title Highlights

Alonso et al. (2003) [153] Cascaded H-bridge multilevel
converter
Flourentzou et al. (2009) VSC-Based HVDC Power
[154] Transmission
Echeverria et al. (2013) Multi-modular cascaded DC-DC
[143] converter
Hu et al. (2016) [155] Design of a DC-DC Converter for
HVDC
Gandomkar et al. (2016) High-Power Multilevel Step-Up DC/
[156] DC Converter
Sun et al. (2016) [157] Multi-Modular Cascaded phase-
shifted converter
Yu et al. (2017) [158] Delta-Connected Cascaded H-Bridge
Shi and Li (2018) [159] Isolated Modular Multilevel DC-DC
Converter
Rojas et al. (2018) [148] DC-DC MMC for HVDC Grid Interface
Presenting a control scheme for cascaded H-Bridge multilevel which was based on independent MPPT for
each PV array.
Presenting an overview of the advances of the VSC based HVDC systems and multilevel converter schemes
which is applicable for integration of renewable resources like wind offshore power plants.
Introducing a novel configuration for integration of PV arrays into HVDC system based on MMC.
Proposing a modular high step-up DC-DC competent for wind offshore plants proper for unidirectional
power
Developing a multilevel step-up DC-DC converter for DC connection of offshore wind power plants in
order to reduce the voltage stress.
Implementing a multi-modular cascaded phase-shifted full bridge converter for integrating the PV arrays
into a DC grid.
Evaluating the performance of delta connected cascaded H-bridge converter for applying in PV systems
and illustrating that the proposed topology has a significant capability of power balancing.
An isolated MMC is developed for medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) application which had small
passive components and soft switching that is decent for dual active bridge circuits.
rectify the defects of the MMC configuration which was presented Earlier and improved the performance
of the system by using a novel pulse width modulation (PWM) technique named adaptive phase shifted
tracking PWM.

[148] have improved the defects of the MMC configuration which has
been presented earlier and also improved the performance of the system
by using a novel pulse width modulation (PWM) technique named
adaptive phase shifted tracking PWM.
The investigation of the studies demonstrates that the multilevel
converter is a good choice for integration of FPV arrays. There is a gap
in analyzing the electrical parts and cooling effect of water on the
converters of FPV systems, and also the location of FPV converters.
Summary of the studies about multilevel converters is presented in
Table 4.
the TCT topology can be improved by both static and dynamic re-
configurations, which can be experimentally studied for FPV arrays in
the future works.
Also, this paper provides a thorough review of different aspects of
FPV power systems having the purpose of indicating the different fea-
tures of these configurations. Reviewing the relevant articles demon-
strated that most of the papers have focused on investigating the effi-
ciency and power generation and assessing the mechanical structure of
these systems as well.
Considering the reviewed works in this paper, recommendations for
future research are as follows:

5. Conclusion and suggestions

The advantages of FPV power plants in comparison with land-based
PV plants, such as higher efficiency, water evaporation reduction, and
diminution in the CO2 emission lead to extension these systems in many
countries. In countries with arid and semi-arid regions, where water
crisis is an important concern, utilizing the FPV modules to reduce the
water evaporation rate is a proper choice. Usually the solar radiation of
such countries is even more favorable.
Designing the FPV power plants comprises different aspects, in-
cluding electrical and mechanical features. The mechanical configura-
tion of FPVs has already been investigated by many researchers but the
electrical schemes need more considerations. In this regard, this work
presents an overview of various possible FPV array interconnection
configurations and the application of the multilevel DC-DC converters
in grid connection of FPV power plants. The assessment indicated that
• More studies should be carried out to analyze the effect of locating
electrical devices, as converters on the water surface, on the per-
formance and efficiency.
• The design of the FPV array interconnection and the grounding
system for FPV systems, should be investigated, which are important
matter from safety and reliability point of view.
• More investigation on the transmission of the electricity from
floating systems to the land is required to ensure the reliable op-
eration of the system.
• It is suggested that more optimization studies should be conducted
to improve the performance of FPV power plants.
• Corrosion caused by saltwater is not normally a problem since the
most of FPV systems are floating on freshwaters such as lakes and
reservoirs, but in offshore applications, the influence of sea water on
the structure and operation of the PV panels should be investigated.

343
P. Ranjbaran, et al.
• In order to reduce the effect of using FPV panels on the water en-
vironment, semi-transparent PV panels can be utilized and accord-
ingly more studies are required on the application of thin-film si-
licon modules.
• The effect of FPV systems on ecological footprint, water quality, and
other environmental factors is necessary to be assessed further in the
future projects.
• It is suggested to determine the water saving and CO2 emission re-
duction cost caused by using FPV panels.
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank Copyright Clearance Center's
RightsLink service for giving the permission of reusing figures.
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