Article Date: May 20, 2026
DNV announced two new standards designed to improve the safety, reliability, and long-term performance of floating solar photovoltaic systems as the sector grows globally. The new standards are DNV-ST-C108, covering structural design of floats, and DNV-ST-E309, covering station keeping and mooring systems. They complement DNV-RP-0584, DNV’s recommended practice for floating solar, which was first released in 2021 and is scheduled for an update in June 2026.
The standards create a coordinated framework for floating solar projects across their full life cycle, from component design and qualification to system-level operation and risk management. DNV says this is increasingly important as floating solar moves from smaller niche projects to larger renewable-energy infrastructure on inland and near-shore water bodies.
DNV-ST-C108 focuses on float structures, including material qualification, structural design, testing, corrosion protection, and degradation from solar exposure, especially for non-metallic materials. DNV-ST-E309 focuses on mooring and station-keeping systems, setting out design loads, load combinations, analysis methods, and risk-based requirements to reduce failure risk.
DNV also notes that the aligned standards are intended to give developers, owners, insurers, and regulators a common technical language, helping support investor confidence, insurability, innovation, and reliable long-term asset performance in the floating solar market.
Source: DNV