Oslo-headquartered Fred. Olsen 1848 has completed the pilot installation of automatic Tension Buoys at Europe’s first open-access laboratory dedicated to testing technologies for floating and hydro solar power generation, an adaptive mooring technology designed to ensure stability and performance for FPV systems under large water level variations.
Fred. Olsen 1848 announced the pilot installation of four automatic Tension Buoy units at the EDP Floating PV Lab, a dam lake in Portugal with water levels that rise and fall by 50 meters, with the installation process taking five days.
The pilot installation will operate as a live demonstration for a year, delivering insights into system performance, reliability, and long-term maintenance.
“By validating our technology in a dam lake with such large water level and bathymetry variations, we are uncovering the potential for floating solar and hydro power hybridisation. It’s a key step toward making hybrid renewable systems more adaptable and resilient,” said Even Hjetland , Principal Development Engineer at Fred. Olsen 1848.
According to the company, Tension Buoy’s self-adjusting tensioning system can be tailored to any site, enabling reliable operation in reservoirs and dams with virtually no limits on water-level range or bathymetry, unlike conventional solutions. Its self-adjusting anchoring system ensures floating solar and hybrid installations remain secure in all conditions, weaving new streams of clean energy across surfaces once considered impractical.
The project was delivered in close collaboration with EDP, Sperra, and local partners. As part of the collaboration, Sperra’s 3D-printed gravity anchor was deployed alongside the Tension Buoy system.
EDP’s Head of New Technologies and Special Projects, Pedro Miguel Oliveira , said: “Through the Floating PV Lab, EDP strengthens its focus on innovation and positions this initiative as a strategic, collaborative platform. By closely monitoring technological evolution and performance, EDP secures a solid competitive edge in the development of next-generation renewable energy solutions.”