HelioRec Achieves Bureau Veritas Approval in Principle (AiP) Level II for W300A Floating Solar Technology
- HelioRec Company
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
HelioRec Reaches a New Milestone for Nearshore Floating Solar Technology
HelioRec is proud to announce that our W300A floating solar technology has received Approval in Principle (AiP) Level II from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore for floating photovoltaic (FPV) applications in nearshore and inshore environments.
This milestone represents an important step toward industrial deployment of next-generation floating solar power plants designed specifically for challenging marine environments.
As the floating solar market evolves beyond protected lakes and reservoirs, developers increasingly require floating solar technology capable of operating under higher waves, stronger wind conditions, and more demanding environmental loads.
The certification covers our W300A floating solar platform developed for:
Nearshore floating solar projects
Large-scale floating solar power plants
Industrial ports and marine infrastructure
Commercial FPV deployments
Utility-scale floating solar installations
The AiP Level II was issued for a floating solar system designed for:
Wave heights up to 4 meters depending on wave period
Wind speeds up to 55 m/s (approximately 200 km/h)
Current speeds up to 2.5 m/s
What is Approval in Principle (AiP) for Floating Solar?
Approval in Principle (AiP) is an independent technical assessment process commonly used across offshore energy and marine industries to evaluate new technologies before commercial deployment.
For floating solar developers, AiP helps demonstrate that a floating solar technology concept is technically feasible and aligned with recognized engineering standards before full certification and project execution.
AiP helps:
Reduce technical risk for floating solar projects
Increase confidence among investors and project developers
Validate engineering methodologies
Improve bankability of floating solar power plants
Accelerate commercialization of new FPV technologies
Importantly, AiP is not equivalent to final certification.
Instead, it confirms that the floating solar design does not present fundamental contradictions with applicable engineering rules and that the concept is considered acceptable in principle.
Why Bureau Veritas Matters for Floating Solar Technology
Founded in 1828, Bureau Veritas is one of the world's leading testing, inspection, and certification organizations.
For offshore and marine infrastructure, Bureau Veritas provides technical verification and classification services used by developers, insurers, investors, and industrial asset owners.
For floating solar projects, independent review from a marine classification society provides additional confidence that floating solar technology has been evaluated using internationally recognized methodologies.
What Was Evaluated for W300A Floating Solar Platform?
The W300A floating solar platform review focused specifically on the floating substructure supporting floating solar panels.
The evaluation included:
Floating structures supporting solar modules
Stability assessments
Material selection
Hydrodynamic methodologies
Environmental loading assumptions
Preliminary structural calculations
Safety documentation
Engineering simulations
Risk analyses
The floating solar platform architecture reviewed includes:
Floaters with integrated ballast tanks and footpaths
Raft assemblies
Web sling force distribution network
Dampers
Specialized raft connectors
Structures supporting floating solar panels
More than 25 technical documents were reviewed covering design, hydrodynamics, stability, materials, manufacturing, and risk assessment.
Engineering Floating Solar for Marine Conditions
Nearshore floating solar requires significantly more engineering effort compared with conventional inland floating solar installations.
W300A engineering included assessment using offshore design methodologies typically used for marine structures.
The review process included:
Hydrodynamic modelling methodologies
Stability evaluations
Wave loading assessments
Environmental loading assumptions
Preliminary fatigue considerations
Future site-specific validation requirements
This engineering approach enables deployment of floating solar technology in locations where conventional floating solar systems may face limitations.
Figure 1: OrcaFlex simulaiton for array of 43 x 43 floaters
Floating Solar Cost and Commercial Deployment
One of the challenges facing the floating solar market is achieving lower floating solar cost while maintaining structural reliability.
HelioRec's approach focuses on:
Simplified installation methodologies
Reduced offshore construction complexity
Scalable manufacturing approaches
Optimized structural architecture
Reduced lifecycle costs
Reducing floating solar cost is essential for accelerating deployment of large-scale floating solar power plants.
Building the Future of FPV and Floating Solar
Floating photovoltaic (FPV) deployment is rapidly expanding beyond conventional reservoirs.
Industrial ports, coastal infrastructure, and marine environments require new floating solar technologies capable of handling stronger environmental loads while remaining economically competitive.
The W300A system and Bureau Veritas AiP Level II represent another step toward enabling the next generation of floating solar power plants.
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
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