The Port of Valencia has received Spain's first offshore solar platform, a milestone marking the beginning of a new era in renewable energy generation in marine environments. The structure, named as Paiporta in homage to the Valencian municipality affected by the DANA storm of 2024The platform, developed by the Spanish startup BlueNewables with the support of Naturgy and the collaboration of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV), was built at the San Enrique shipyard in Vigo and installed outside the port's southern breakwater, where it will begin its testing phase in real open-sea conditions.
This initiative is part of the European program RENMARINAS VALENCIAPORT, coordinated by the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) and funded by the European Union through the NextGeneration EU funds, in addition to receiving a grant from the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE). The objective is to validate a technology that can be applied in ports, offshore installations and energy projects on islandsthus contributing to the decarbonization of the maritime and port sector.
A pioneering technology for the open sea
The 'Paiporta' platform incorporates a catamaran-type design optimized for ocean conditions, which allows employ more efficient floats and place solar panels at a higher altitude above sea levelimproving both its performance and maintenance. Furthermore, the modules are bifacial, capable of generating electricity from both direct solar radiation and light reflected from the sea surface, thus increasing the system's efficiency. This first unit has a capacity of 500 kW and is part of a project that includes the installation of two identical platforms, with a total capacity of 1 MW. The second unit is scheduled to arrive at the Port of Valencia at the end of summer to complete the installation.
European collaboration and funding
The project has the institutional support of IDAE through the RENMARINAS program, as well as the close collaboration of SOERMAR thanks to the Renovar project, supported by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. Over the next two years, Naturgy and BlueNewables will exchange technical, operational, strategic and economic information. derived from the project's evolution, including performance data, technical issues, costs, and lessons learned. Naturgy channels its participation through Innovahub, its innovation platform, while BlueNewables continues to advance in the development of solar energy solutions floating for offshore environments and port areas.
Valenciaport as a testing ground
The arrival of the platform is part of Valenciaport's strategy to move towards a more sustainable, innovative, and efficient port model. The Valenciaport 2035 Strategic Plan places decarbonization, the energy transition, and climate resilience among its main areas of action. Within this project, the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) will create a testing platform for connecting, testing, and feeding various marine renewable energy generation technologies into the electrical grid of the ports of Valencia and Sagunto. This infrastructure will be available for future projects, including the collaboration with EnerMarPort, which will install a wave energy system in the Port of Sagunto. Offshore photovoltaics also presents possibilities for hybridization with offshore wind powerThis opens the door to autonomous energy systems in areas far from the grid.
With this initiative, the Port of Valencia is consolidating its position as a hub for innovation applied to the energy transition, demonstrating that it is possible to generate clean energy at sea on a pre-commercial scale. BlueNewables' technology, with its catamaran design and bifacial panels, represents a step forward in harnessing solar energy in marine environments, and its validation under real-world conditions will allow for an assessment of its viability for future, larger-scale projects, both in Spain and throughout the rest of Europe.
