By Dr Madjid Karimirad, School of Natural and Built Environment.
Northern Ireland has ambitious climate goals for achieving NetZero emissions and combating the climate emergency. One of the promising technologies is floating solar – solar panels mounted on floating pontoons.
The global floating solar market is expanding rapidly, with capacity expected to surpass 7.7 GW by 2023 and projected to exceed 15 GW globally by 2026 (roughly the average household consumption of 35 million homes in the UK). Floating solar offers benefits such as reduced water evaporation, improved production efficiency from the water cooling effects on the solar panels, and compatibility with hydropower and coastal infrastructure.
However, scaling into nearshore and offshore environments presents challenges in platform/floater stability, foundation design, environmental loading from wave and wind and structural resilience. In particular, the environmental conditions, such as extreme waves and wind, need to be investigated through the investigation of the reliability and proper design of the platforms to withstand the storms.
Why Floating Solar?
- Uses existing water space – avoids competing with farmland or urban areas.
- Boosts efficiency – cooler water temperatures improve solar panel performance.
- Reduces water loss – panels shade the water, cutting evaporation.
- Pairs with existing infrastructure – works alongside hydropower dams, reservoirs, and coastal facilities.
At Queen’s University Belfast, supported by Invest NI and UKRI (Research and Innovation) funding (Principal Investigator: Dr Madjid Karimirad), we have developed floating solar platforms with configurable connectors and mooring. Comprehensive laboratory testing has confirmed better performance and integrity. This research advanced the development and commercialisation of a modular, optimised floating solar platform for Northern Ireland.
The above image shows an example of the testing in the laboratory facility at David Keir Building, Queen’s University Belfast. The project supports Dr Gautam Baruah, who completed his PhD in floating solar under the supervision of Dr Karimirad, who leads the marine research group (MRG) with experimental design, numerical assessment, data analysis, and field translation. Dr Karimirad brings over 20 years of offshore engineering experience (including 7+ years in floating solar research). The team collaborates with QUB emeritus Prof Trevor Whittaker, who has 40 years of research experience in the marine industry.
Testing at laboratory facilities of QUB at the David Keir Building, Wave and wind tests for real sea conditions. Courtesy: Dr Madjid Karimirad, Queen’s University Belfast
The project develops the floating solar by designing and testing a single platform containing multiple solar panels and array configurations where strings of platforms supporting solar panels are connected by joints. This is unique in having the platforms subjected to both wave and wind conditions, which are needed for real sea. Initial trials used a linear string layout of interconnected rafts to study the effects of raft position, connectors, wave and wind conditions, and mooring. Subsequent tests used real sea waves to capture realistic performance, followed by scaling to array configurations. The experiments validated the modular design and supported the IP (intellectual property) at QUB.
Why it’s unique for Northern Ireland:
Our team at Queen’s has developed and tested a modular floating solar platform that can survive both high wind and wave conditions – essential for deployment in nearshore and offshore Northern Ireland. Most floating solar worldwide is in calm, inland waters; NI’s marine environment demands something stronger.
In parallel, the team engaged stakeholders via Lab45 (supporting research teams to explore the path to commercial success) and QUBIS (supporting high-quality academic inspiration into high-impact commercial innovation), refined the business model, and identified customer use cases.
This stage of our research has confirmed that the technology performs effectively in a controlled laboratory setting. The next phase will involve rigorous computer simulations, followed by trials in real-world conditions. To advance this work, policymakers must place floating solar firmly on the energy agenda for Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. Their active involvement will be crucial in accelerating field deployment during the upcoming phase of our research at QUB.
Our team at QUB has:
- Created configurable, storm-resilient platforms.
- Proven their performance in lab tests simulating real sea conditions.
- Protected the design through QUB-held intellectual property.
- Built a clear roadmap from prototype to commercial scale.
What it means for Northern Ireland:
- Positions NI as a pioneer in offshore-capable floating solar.
- Opens opportunities for local manufacturing, export, and green jobs.
- Adds resilience and diversity to NI’s renewable mix.
- Supports climate targets without taking up valuable land
Floating solar offers a new way to generate clean energy without taking up land, while making use of Northern Ireland’s existing water spaces. Our research has shown that it’s possible to design platforms that can withstand local wind and wave conditions, and the next stage will test these in real-world environments. With the right support, floating solar could become a valuable addition to the region’s renewable energy mix.
Featured image: Testing at laboratory facilities of QUB at the David Keir Building, Wave and wind tests for real sea conditions. Courtesy: Dr Madjid Karimirad, Queen’s University Belfast
About the Author
Dr Madjid Karimirad is a reader in the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University. Madjid’s research interest is on analysis, testing, development and design of offshore renewable energy structures. This covers offshore wind turbines both floating and bottom-fixed, wave energy converters, tidal turbines as well as floating solar units.
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