Floating Solar in Extreme Saline Conditions: HelioRec Installs a 2 kWp Demonstrator at Les Salins

Introduction

Most floating solar power plants are installed on freshwater reservoirs or lakes. But what happens when solar panels are deployed in one of the most aggressive environments on Earth - a hypersaline salt marsh?

At HelioRec, we believe that proving technology in the harshest conditions creates confidence for future commercial projects. That is why we have successfully installed a 2 kWp floating solar demonstrator for Les Salins in Arles, France. This pilot project is designed to validate the long-term performance of our floating solar technology in water saturated with salt, where conventional materials are exposed to continuous corrosion, salt crystallization, strong winds, and highly aggressive atmospheric conditions.

This installation represents the first step of what we hope will become a much larger collaboration with Les Salins.

Why Hypersaline Environments Are So Challenging

Salt water is already one of the most demanding environments for engineering systems.

Hypersaline water is even more severe. Unlike freshwater floating solar installations, equipment operating in salt marshes must withstand:

• continuous exposure to salt-saturated water

• salt spray carried by wind

• accelerated corrosion of metallic components

• crystallization of salt deposits

• UV radiation

• large temperature variations

• mechanical loads caused by wind

Every bolt, washer, cable, electrical connector and anchoring component must be selected carefully to ensure reliable operation over many years. The demonstrator has been specifically designed to evaluate these long-term effects before future commercial deployment.

Engineering a Floating Solar System for Salt Marshes

The Les Salins demonstrator is much more than a small photovoltaic installation. It serves as a real-world testing platform where HelioRec can validate design choices under extreme environmental conditions.

Corrosion-Resistant Mechanical Design

One of the biggest risks in saline environments is corrosion of mechanical connections.

To minimise this risk, HelioRec implemented several protective measures:

• A4 marine-grade stainless steel fasteners

• EPDM insulating washers between stainless steel and aluminium to prevent galvanic corrosion

• corrosion-resistant HDPE modular floaters

• waterproof stainless-steel washers on critical connections

These solutions are intended to maximise mechanical durability while maintaining structural integrity over long operating periods.

Corrosion-Protected Mooring System

Anchoring systems are often one of the weakest elements in aggressive marine environments. For this project, HelioRec designed a mooring solution using:

• polypropylene mooring ropes

• Gripple fibre anchors

• high-strength polyester fibre tendons

• protective lifting sleeves to reduce rope abrasion

Instead of using conventional steel cables for the primary anchors, HelioRec selected composite fibre tendons, eliminating oxidation risks for most of the anchoring system.

Interestingly, one anchoring point intentionally uses a traditional galvanised steel cable. This allows engineers to compare its long-term behaviour against the fibre-based solution under identical hypersaline conditions, providing valuable data for future large-scale projects.

Electrical System Designed for Saline Conditions

Electrical reliability is equally important. Salt can accelerate degradation of connectors and wiring if they are not properly protected.

For the Les Salins demonstrator, HelioRec selected:

• four 505 W photovoltaic modules

• Huawei SUN2000 inverter

• PV modules certified according to IEC 61701 for salt mist corrosion resistance

• UV-resistant DC cables

• protected MC4 electrical connectors sealed with adhesive heat-shrink tubing to minimise oxidation

Cable routing was also designed so that electrical wiring remains safely attached to the floating structure rather than being exposed directly to water.

Flexibility Through Modular Design

One of the advantages of HelioRec's modular floating solar technology became evident during installation. The system had originally been designed for one channel, but during deployment the installation location was changed to another nearby channel that provided easier electrical connection.

Thanks to the modular architecture, the floating structure was rapidly reconfigured and the photovoltaic panels were reoriented to face true south instead of east, improving expected energy production without redesigning the entire platform.

More Than a Demonstrator

Although the installation has a capacity of only 2 kWp, its value lies in the operational knowledge it will generate.

Over the coming months and years, HelioRec will monitor:

• corrosion behaviour of mechanical components

• long-term durability of anchoring systems

• stability of electrical connections

• resistance of polymer materials

• overall operational performance in hypersaline conditions

The lessons learned will directly support the engineering of much larger floating solar power plants designed for industrial salt production sites and other highly corrosive coastal environments.

Building Confidence Before Scaling Up

Innovation is not only about developing new technology - it is about validating it in the field.

This demonstrator allows HelioRec and Les Salins to gain practical operational experience before moving towards larger installations.

By testing materials, mechanical systems and electrical equipment under some of the harshest environmental conditions, we are reducing technical risk and improving the long-term bankability of future floating solar projects.

Looking Ahead

The successful deployment of this 2 kWp demonstrator marks the beginning of what we hope will become a long-term collaboration with Les Salins.

We look forward to monitoring the system's performance, collecting valuable operational data, and working together on the next phase: the development of a significantly larger floating solar installation capable of delivering clean renewable energy while demonstrating that floating solar can reliably operate even in extreme saline environments.

At HelioRec, every demonstrator is more than a pilot project - it is a step toward making floating solar technology more robust, more bankable, and ready for deployment wherever clean energy is needed.

FAQs

Why is hypersaline water difficult for floating solar systems? - Hypersaline water significantly accelerates corrosion and salt crystallisation, placing much higher demands on mechanical and electrical components than freshwater environments.

What makes HelioRec's system suitable for saline environments? - The demonstrator incorporates marine-grade A4 stainless steel fasteners, EPDM insulating washers, corrosion-resistant HDPE floaters, protected electrical connectors, UV-resistant cables, and fibre-based anchoring components specifically selected for harsh saline conditions.

Why install only a 2 kWp system? - The objective is technology validation rather than energy production. The demonstrator allows HelioRec to observe long-term performance before scaling up to commercial floating solar power plants.

What will be monitored? - The project will evaluate corrosion resistance, mechanical durability, anchoring performance, electrical reliability, and the overall operational behaviour of the floating solar system in hypersaline conditions.

What comes next? - Following successful long-term validation, HelioRec and Les Salins aim to explore the deployment of a much larger floating solar power plant, using the data collected from this demonstrator to optimise future commercial installations.

HelioRec designs, manufactures, and deploys floating solar systems for both inland and marine nearshore environments. To discuss whether floating solar is suited to your site, *contact us