Resumen
[0001] Porous pontoon (1) for a floatable photovoltaic module (10), the pontoon having a length, a width and a height, and the pontoon having perforations (6) through-going in its height, wherein the pontoon, around its circumference, is provided with a plurality of recesses (8), the plurality of recesses being shaped so as to complementary receive a respective float (2) adapted to be connected to and provide buoyancy to the pontoon. [0002] Floatable photovoltaic module (10) including such as porous pontoon as well as a floating photovoltaic system (10) including a plurality of interconnected floatable photovoltaic modules. There is also disclosed a method for installing a floating photovoltaic system.
Reivindicaciones
1. Porous pontoon for a floatable photovoltaic module, the pontoon having a length, a width and a height, and the pontoon having perforations through-going in its height, characterised in that the pontoon, around its circumference, is provided with a plurality of recesses, the plurality of recesses being shaped so as to complementary receive a respective float adapted to be connected to and provide buoyancy to the pontoon. 2. Porous pontoon according to claim 1, wherein the length and width of the porous pontoon substantially define a rectangle. 3. Porous pontoon according to claim 2, wherein the length of the porous pontoon is in the order of 4 meters, and the width of the pontoon is in the order of 2.5 meters, preferably around 4.2 times 2.4 meters. 4. Porous pontoon according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the plurality of recesses is shaped to receive a respective cylindrical float. 5. Porous pontoon according to claim 4, wherein the pontoon is provided with six recesses, each shaped to receive a respective cylindrical float. 6. Porous pontoon according to claim 5, where four of the recesses are provided in the corners of the rectangle and where two of the recesses are provided mid-way along the length of the pontoon. 7. Porous pontoon according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the perforations are formed with a circular cross-section. 8. Porous pontoon according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the perforations account for 10-50% of the total surface area of the pontoon, preferably around 25%. 9. Floatable photovoltaic module including a porous pontoon according to any of the preceding claims, the floatable photovoltaic module further comprising: - a plurality of floats connected to the pontoon and positioned in respective recess; and - one or more photovoltaic panels placed on top of the pontoon. 10. Floatable photovoltaic module according to claim 9, wherein the floatable photovoltaic module comprises four photovoltaic panels arranged in a dual pitch arrangement. 11. Floating photovoltaic system comprising a grid of interconnected floatable photovoltaic modules according to claim 9 or 10. 12. Floating photovoltaic system according to claim 11, wherein photovoltaic modules in the grid are connected to four surrounding photovoltaic modules. 13. Floating photovoltaic system according to claim 12, wherein the four surrounding modules are diagonally positioned in the grid relative to the photovoltaic module to which they are connected and wherein the connections between the photovoltaic modules are cruciform connections. 14. Floating photovoltaic system according to any of the claims 11-13, wherein the connections are made by means of fibre ropes 15. Method of installing a floating photovoltaic system according to any one of the claims 11-14, where the method includes the steps of: - towing the floating photovoltaic system as a whole to a production location; and - mooring the floating photovoltaic system to the seabed.
