The Port of Valencia has received the first marine solar platform in Spain, a pioneering project developed by the Spanish startup BlueNewables with the support of the energy company Naturgy. The platform, built at the San Enrique de Vigo shipyard and named Paiporta in homage to the Valencian municipality especially affected by the DANA of 2024.
This first structure is part of a project that contemplates the development of two units of 500 kW of power each, until reaching a total power of 1 MW. The second unit is scheduled to arrive at the Port of Valencia in a few weeks to complete the installation.
Renmarinas Program
The project has a subsidy from the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), within the framework of the Renmarinas Valenciaport program, coordinated by the Port Authority of Valencia, financed by NextGeneration funds to advance the development of new renewable solutions that contribute to the energy transition.
The Renmarinas program is a public initiative aimed at promoting the development of marine renewable energies in Spain through aid for the creation and improvement of testing platforms and port infrastructure. The program facilitates the demonstration of innovative technologies in real conditions, favors the growth of a specialized industry and reinforces Spain’s position as an international benchmark in this sector, under criteria of sustainability and environmental protection.
The launch of this facility in the waters of the Port of Valencia is part of Valenciaport’s strategy to move towards a more sustainable, innovative and efficient port model. The Valenciaport 2035 Strategic Plan places decarbonization, energy transition and climate resilience among its main lines of action, promoting projects that allow the incorporation of new renewable solutions and progressively reduce the environmental footprint of port activity.
In this context, the floating photovoltaic project in the open sea reinforces the role of the Port of Valencia as a space for applied innovation at the service of the energy transition. Its development allows testing in a real environment a technology with the potential to contribute to the generation of clean energy in port and offshore spaces, in line with the objectives of Valenciaport’s Net Zero Emissions Plan and with the ambition to move towards more self-sufficient, competitive and emissions-neutral ports.
The technology developed by BlueNewables incorporates an innovative catamaran-type design, optimized for operation in ocean environments. This system allows the use of more efficient floats and the placement of solar panels at a higher altitude above sea level, improving both their performance and maintenance. In addition, the platform incorporates bifacial solar panels, capable of generating energy from both direct solar radiation and light reflected on the sea surface, thus increasing the efficiency of the system. The installation constitutes the first floating solar energy installation at sea on a pre-commercial scale in Spain.
Floating photovoltaics in the open sea represents an important avenue of knowledge due to its potential for hybridization with other marine technologies, especially offshore wind, as well as its applications in the decarbonization of ports and in stand-alone projects on islands.
Naturgy and BlueNewables will collaborate for two years in the exchange of technical, operational, strategic and economic information derived from the development of the project, both during the testing phase and in subsequent monitoring. This collaboration will include the analysis of performance data, technical incidents, costs, operations and lessons learned to evaluate the potential of this technology.
The energy company ensures that, with this initiative, it reinforces its commitment to innovation as a driver of energy transformation through Innovahub, while BlueNewables continues to advance in the development of floating solar energy solutions for application in offshore environments and port areas.