en.Wedoany.com Reported - French assembly and fastening solutions specialist Araymond showcased a new concept for constructing floating photovoltaic (PV) power plants at The smarter E trade fair in Munich from June 24 to 26, with the core idea being the direct on-site manufacturing of floats.
Named Neluma, the solution employs a mobile micro-factory installed inside a shipping container, which can be transported to a body of water near the planned PV plant. Quentin Rabut, Director of the Floating PV Business Line at Araymond, stated that the concept is based on a simple observation: rather than transporting floats, it is more efficient to manufacture them directly at the installation site.
The production unit processes aluminum coils into tubes measuring 6 meters in length and 40 centimeters in diameter, which serve as platform floats. The process was developed based on Araymond's experience in metal forming and fastening technologies, with the Grenoble-based company, which has over 160 years of industrial history, adapting these technologies for the new system. The tubes are equipped with inflatable multi-layer air bladders inside to provide buoyancy for the structure. According to the company, a 10-person team can manufacture and assemble the equivalent of approximately 1 megawatt (MW) of floating PV capacity per week, consuming about 500 man-hours per MW, with deployment capacity scalable by adding more teams.
The main advantage of this model is the elimination of transporting large, bulky structures, thereby reducing logistics costs and the project's carbon footprint. Rabut noted that local manufacturing also lowers initial investment and operational costs while reducing transport-related emissions. The float design developed by Araymond uses partial water ballast, filling some tubes with water to enhance stability. The company claims this configuration can withstand sustained winds of up to 160 km/h and gusts of up to 220 km/h, while reducing the number of required anchor points by about one-third—anchoring being one of the most costly elements of floating PV installations. The structure allows PV modules to be tilted at 15°, facilitating natural cleaning, reducing maintenance needs, and improving area utilization efficiency by occupying the water surface more evenly.
Araymond, which has already participated in the installation of over 22 GW of ground-mounted PV plants globally through its fastening solutions, plans to make floating PV a major growth driver. The company launched its first industrial demonstration unit in Montmélian, Savoie, France, in 2024, and currently claims to have eight facilities in multiple countries. In Europe, the company is focusing on multi-megawatt floating PV projects and is in discussions with several developers for plants on former quarries and other water bodies, with primary partners being public administration bodies and regulated operators.
In India, Araymond installed a 57 kW demonstration unit on the reservoir of the Jindal Power thermal power plant in Dhule. This pilot project was completed in about ten days, laying the groundwork for developing a portfolio of hundreds of megawatts. In Brazil, the company is applying the technology to the agriculture and agri-food sectors by building medium-sized facilities on private reservoirs of local partners, aiming to generate electricity near consumption points while promoting water conservation. As part of its expansion strategy, Araymond plans to establish local industrial ecosystems in each market, relying on regional suppliers of aluminum coils and metal components, as well as EPC companies responsible for project execution.
