Binjian Ou

Cranfield University · Department of Environmental Science and Technology

Solar PhotoVoltaic (PV), as a clean and affordable energy solution, has become ubiquitous around the world. In order to install enough PV coverage to meet the demand of global climate action, there has been a growing research interest in deploying solar panels on abundant sea space. However, the harsh marine environment is holding stakeholders back...

Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) is considered as a highly promising clean energy solution. In recent years, FPV has been widely deployed in calm water around the world. However, to find available space for further expansion, FPV needs to be deployed in seas whilst the oceanic waves significantly influence the structural stability and energy performance...

Floating breakwaters are widely applied on the ocean water surface to protect human infrastructure from the destructive power of waves. This study designs and investigates the per- formance of a novel symmetric-pontoon floating breakwater with a symmetric pair of hydrofoils. Based at the Cranfield Ocean Systems Laboratory, the system was constructe...

Floating photovoltaic (FPV) solar farms have gained significant research and industrial interest in recent years. However, to support its deployment in abundant ocean space, FPV is required to be protected against wave loading. Thus, the usage of a breakwater in front of a floating solar farm is particularly promising. In this work, a time-domain s...

Whilst there is an interest in floating solar energy systems in coastal and offshore regions to utilise available sea space, they are subject to ocean waves that introduce constant momentum. Consequently, solar panels undergo periodic motions with the waves, causing a continuous change in tilt angle. The tilt angle variation is a sub-optimal proces...

Modularized floating solar farms exhibit the potential to replace conventional steel-frame ones, effectively remedying hydroelastic issues of a very large floating structure through discrete modules with mechanical connections. However, the response of the discrete modules under cyclic wave loading has not been fully understood. This paper assesses...

The awareness of the energy and climate crisis has accelerated the development of renewable energy sources. Photovoltaic (PV) solar power plants harvest clean solar energy and convert it to electricity, which will be one of the most promising alternatives to the power industry in the context of a low-carbon society. Due to its low power density, th...