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Technical Assessment of a Catamaran-Based Offshore Floating Photovoltaic System for Sheltered Coastal Waters

Sep 2026 · Engineering Headway · Vol 42, pp. 141 - 150 · 0 citations · 9 references

Abstract

Rapid growth in electricity demand and land scarcity in coastal regions have necessitated the exploration of marine renewable energy solutions. This study presents the conceptual design and simulation-based validation of a small-scale Offshore Floating Photovoltaic (OFPV) system optimized for Pakistan’s sheltered coastal waters. The proposed platform features a Class-3 modular catamaran configuration supported by High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pontoons. A coupled multi-disciplinary framework integrating MAXSURF Software hydrostatic analysis and PVsyst for performance modeling is employed. Simulation results confirm satisfactory intact stability with positive righting lever characteristics and a projected annual energy yield of 5.8 MWh for the prototype unit. The results demonstrate that while the proposed system achieves stable photovoltaic energy generation under sheltered coastal conditions, hydrodynamic resistance constraints fundamentally limit continuous mobility, thereby defining OFPV platforms as stationary energy assets rather than self-propelled vessels. These findings validate the technical feasibility of OFPV system deployment in creek systems and inner harbors as a scalable alternative to terrestrial solar farms.

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