Typical Permitting Pathways for Floating Solar Projects in Nearshore Locations

Introduction

Floating solar is no longer limited to calm inland reservoirs. Across Europe and globally, developers, ports, and industrial operators are now looking toward coastal and nearshore waters as the next frontier for renewable energy deployment.

Ports, sheltered bays, industrial basins, and maritime infrastructure offer enormous untapped potential for floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems. These locations already have strong electricity demand, existing grid infrastructure, and large underutilised water surfaces - making them highly attractive for floating solar power plants.

But while the technology itself is advancing rapidly, permitting remains one of the biggest challenges for nearshore floating solar projects.

Unlike conventional solar farms, nearshore FPV projects sit at the intersection of energy, maritime regulation, environmental protection, navigation safety, and urban planning. A floating solar installation in a port may involve not only energy authorities, but also harbour operators, maritime administrations, environmental agencies, municipalities, fisheries stakeholders, and coastal regulators.

For developers entering this market, understanding the permitting pathway early is often the difference between a project that moves efficiently and one that faces years of delays.

Figure 1. Illustrative view of a port integrating floating solar PV. AI-generated image.

Why Nearshore Floating Solar Is Different

Installing floating solar panels on nearshore waters is fundamentally different from deploying solar on land.

A ground-mounted solar plant typically interacts with one primary environment: land. A nearshore floating solar project interacts with an entire ecosystem of maritime activities and regulations.

Commercial vessels may navigate nearby. Subsea cables and pipelines may cross the project area. Coastal ecosystems may contain protected habitats. Industrial ports may operate around the clock with strict navigation and safety requirements.

As a result, authorities usually assess floating solar technology in nearshore environments as marine infrastructure rather than a standard photovoltaic installation.

This changes the permitting process significantly.

In many cases, developers must secure:

• permission to occupy maritime public waters,

• environmental approvals,

• navigation safety clearances,

• water-related permits,

• urban planning authorisations for onshore infrastructure,

• and public consultation approvals.

The exact process varies between countries, but the overall reality remains the same: nearshore floating solar projects require far more coordination than inland FPV systems.

The First Real Challenge: Who Owns the Water?

One of the first questions in a nearshore floating solar project is surprisingly simple:

Who controls the water surface?

In ports and coastal environments, the answer is not always straightforward.

The project area may fall under:

• a port authority,

• a municipality,

• a national maritime agency,

• a coastal protection authority,

• or a combination of several entities.

Before engineering even begins, developers typically need to clarify:

• maritime ownership,

• zoning restrictions,

• navigation corridors,

• industrial operations,

• and future port development plans.

This early-stage work is often underestimated, but it can save months — or years — later in the permitting process.

Environmental Impact Assessment: One of the Key Steps

For many utility-scale floating solar projects, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) becomes one of the central parts of the permitting pathway.

Nearshore FPV systems interact directly with the marine environment, which means authorities may require studies related to:

• marine biodiversity,

• water quality,

• sediment conditions,

• navigation impacts,

• shading effects,

• and hydrodynamic changes.

The scope of environmental studies depends heavily on the project location. A floating solar project inside an industrial port basin may face a very different assessment process compared with a project located near protected coastal habitats.

Because ecological surveys can require seasonal monitoring, environmental studies often influence the overall project timeline from the earliest stages.

For this reason, experienced developers usually integrate environmental strategy into the project long before final engineering design begins.

Ports: Opportunity and Complexity at the Same Time

Ports are becoming one of the most promising markets for floating solar technology.

They offer:

• high electricity consumption,

• existing grid connections,

• sheltered water conditions,

• and strong decarbonisation pressure.

For industrial ports seeking to reduce emissions, floating solar can become a highly attractive solution without consuming operational land.

At the same time, ports are highly regulated operational environments.

A floating solar project must coexist with:

• vessel manoeuvring,

• cargo operations,

• emergency access,

• dredging activities,

• pilot operations,

• and maritime safety requirements.

This means that navigation compatibility often becomes one of the most important aspects of permitting.

Authorities may request detailed studies evaluating:

• shipping corridors,

• emergency vessel access,

• visibility,

• signalling systems,

• and interaction with existing marine infrastructure.

In active commercial ports, even small design changes can significantly influence operational compatibility.

The Role of Maritime Occupation Permits

Unlike land-based solar projects, floating solar systems installed in coastal waters usually require legal authorisation to occupy public maritime areas.

In France, this often takes the form of:

• AOT (Autorisation d’Occupation Temporaire)

• or COT (Convention d’Occupation Temporaire)

These authorisations regulate:

• the occupied water surface,

• mooring systems,

• anchoring areas,

• subsea cable routes,

• and the duration of occupation.

Without this type of permit, a floating solar installation cannot legally operate within maritime public waters.

For developers, obtaining this authorisation is often one of the first major regulatory milestones.

Do Floating Solar Projects Require a Permis de Construire?

This is one of the most common questions in France. The answer is: sometimes - but usually not for the floating platform itself.

Nearshore floating solar projects may require a Déclaration Préalable or a Permis de Construire for associated onshore infrastructure such as:

• transformer stations,

• electrical rooms,

• maintenance buildings,

• cable landing stations,

• or technical shelters.

The applicable procedure depends on:

• the size of the infrastructure,

• local urban planning regulations,

• coastal zoning constraints,

• and the characteristics of the grid connection.

In practice, the maritime permits and environmental authorisations are often more complex than the urban planning procedure itself. Still, early discussions with municipalities remain important because coastal planning regulations can significantly influence project feasibility. 

Typical Timeline for Nearshore Floating Solar Permitting

One of the biggest mistakes in floating solar development is treating permitting as a purely administrative process.

In reality, successful nearshore FPV projects are often built on early collaboration.

Developers that engage early with:

• port authorities,

• environmental agencies,

• municipalities,

• maritime stakeholders,

• and local communities

typically face fewer delays and lower redesign risks later.

This is especially important in coastal environments where multiple users share the same maritime space.

Even technically strong projects can face significant delays if stakeholder concerns are addressed too late.

For utility-scale nearshore floating solar projects, the process commonly lasts between 18 and 32 months depending on:

• environmental sensitivity,

• complexity of the port environment,

• required ecological surveys,

• public consultation procedures,

• and national regulations.

Environmental studies alone may require several seasons of data collection.

As a result, permitting strategy should never be treated as a secondary task. It must be integrated into the project from the beginning.

Nearshore floating solar is opening a new chapter for renewable energy deployment.

Ports, industrial basins, and sheltered coastal waters represent a major opportunity to expand solar generation without additional land use. As electricity demand grows and pressure on land intensifies, floating solar technology is becoming an increasingly attractive solution for maritime and industrial infrastructure.

At the same time, permitting remains one of the defining challenges of the sector.

Successful projects are rarely only about engineering. They depend equally on environmental strategy, maritime integration, stakeholder coordination, and regulatory planning.

Developers that understand these dynamics early will be best positioned to accelerate permitting, reduce project risk, and unlock the full potential of nearshore floating solar.

Practical Checklist for Developers

• Who owns and manages the water surface?

• Are there navigation restrictions?

• Are there protected marine habitats nearby?

• Is the site compatible with port operations?

• What permits are required for mooring systems and subsea cables?

• Does the onshore infrastructure require a Permis de Construire?

• Which authorities must be consulted first?

• What environmental studies may be required?

Projects that answer these questions early generally move much faster through permitting.

FAQs 

• Is nearshore floating solar more difficult to permit than inland FPV? - Usually yes. Nearshore projects interact with maritime regulations, navigation safety, coastal ecosystems, and multiple authorities simultaneously, which increases permitting complexity.

• Do all floating solar projects require environmental studies? - Not necessarily. The level of assessment depends on: project size, country regulations, environmental sensitivity and proximity to protected habitats. However, utility-scale nearshore projects usually require at least some level of environmental review.

• Can floating solar be installed inside commercial ports? - Yes — and ports are becoming one of the most promising markets for floating solar deployment. However, projects must remain fully compatible with navigation and industrial operations.

• What is usually the biggest permitting risk? - Common challenges include: navigation conflicts, sensitive marine habitats, delays in ecological surveys and coordination between multiple authorities.

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.