Design and Simulation of a Floating Solar Photovoltaic System for an Offshore Aquaculture Site in Canada

Abstract

This article presents the design and commercial feasibility of a floating solar photovoltaic (FSPV) power system for an offshore fish farm site located in the Newfoundland province of Canada. The offshore fish farms are energy-intensive units, and the fish feeding system is the primary energy consumer. Due to the remote location, the grid/utility power infrastructure does not exist, and diesel generators fulfill energy needs, which is expensive and detrimental to the environment. A FSPV power system is proposed as a replacement for the fossil fuel energy source. A comprehensive study is conducted to investigate the actual energy requirements of a site and an appropriate hybrid solar system is designed using Homer Pro software. The designed system’s techno-commercial feasibility is evaluated based on three different scenarios (base, ideal and worst). The obtained results show that the renewable energy penetration for all cases is very convincing and encouraging. The Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) computed by the software for all three cases is compared with the existing setup produced energy cost. It reveals that the designed FSPV produces significantly economical power. Overall, the outcomes of this investigation demonstrate the potential of FSPV systems as a viable and sustainable solution for powering fish farms and contributing to the sustainability of the aquaculture industry.