The initial power units of China's first 1-gigawatt offshore photovoltaic project have been connected to the State Grid,said the State Power Investment Corporation on Wednesday.This project marks a significant step forward,serving as a model for the global expansion of offshore solar energy.

The offshore photovoltaic project is located in Dongying,East China's Shandong Province.Funded by Guohua Energy Investment Co,a CHN Energy subsidiary,it is the largest offshore solar project in China's open sea regions.

The project takes the lead in the world to employ large-scale steel truss platform piling technology for offshore installations,which was used to install 2,934 photovoltaic platforms,according to CHN Energy。

It is the first project in China's photovoltaic industry to implement 66-kilovolt offshore and onshore long-distance transmission lines,delivering greater transmission capacity at a lower cost.

Compared with traditional offshore photovoltaic transmission lines,it features a higher capacity,delivers more electricity per unit of time,and provides enhanced cost efficiency.

The project was approved by China's State Council in July this year,covering an area of approximately 1,223 hectares,and has a total installed capacity of one gigawatt.

Once fully operational,the project is expected to generate 1.78 billion kilowatt-hours annually,enough to meet the power needs of approximately 2.67 million urban residents in China for a year.It will also save 503,800 tons of standard coal and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1.34 million tons,according to a statement from CHN Energy.

（Picture: Veer）