Singapore effort to expand renewable energy into the sea has encountered an unexpected challenge marine organisms such as barnacles, algae and sea squirts attaching themselves to floating solar infrastructure.
The Woodlands Sea Based Floating Photovoltaic System, located in the Strait of Johor, consists of more than 13,000 solar panels spread across about 12 acres of water. The project was developed to overcome Singapore’s limited availability of land for large scale solar farms.
The five megawatt floating solar facility uses more than 30,000 pontoons and generates around six million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. According to the Singapore Economic Development Board, the installation can help avoid more than 4,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
Engineers initially focused on protecting the floating system from waves, currents, strong winds and saltwater corrosion. However, marine biofouling soon emerged as another major engineering challenge.
Within months, algae, sea squirts and large numbers of barnacles accumulated on submerged pontoons and mooring equipment. The biological growth added significant weight to the floating structure reportedly increasing the floater mass by nearly 43 percent.
The additional weight reduced the buoyancy of the platforms and caused them to sit deeper in the water. This affected components designed to absorb wave movement and increased the risk of seawater reaching electrical connections potentially accelerating corrosion and threatening the system’s operation.
To address the problem, maintenance crews began manually removing the marine growth and using anti fouling treatments. Engineers have also been testing redesigned pontoons, elevated structures and underwater sensors capable of monitoring changes in weight caused by biological buildup.
The experience highlights a broader challenge for offshore renewable energy. While floating solar can provide countries with limited land availability an alternative location for clean-energy projects, marine ecosystems can create maintenance and engineering problems that are less common on land.
Researchers and engineers are continuing to evaluate new floater designs and protective coatings. The long-term cost of managing marine growth will become clearer as the Singapore project undergoes further multi-year testing.