Professional Diploma in Floating Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance
This professional diploma gives you the essential skills to work with floating solar, a fast-growing technology. You will learn everything from the fundamentals of floating photovoltaics to installation, operation and maintenance techniques on reservoirs, ponds, lakes, canals and sheltered waters, including safety procedures, regulations and the technical and environmental assessment of projects.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this programme gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The programme is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Floating Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance?
This professional diploma prepares you to install, commission and maintain floating photovoltaic plants. You will learn how floating systems differ from ground-mounted and rooftop solar, how sites and water bodies are assessed, how floats, walkways, anchors and moorings are selected and designed, how strings, inverters, cabling and earthing are installed in aquatic environments, how assembly and launch are planned safely, and how plants are monitored, cleaned, diagnosed and repaired throughout their life cycle.
What sets this diploma apart: a hands-on focus on the work of installers and maintenance technicians rather than on design theory alone; detailed coverage of flotation, anchoring and mooring under wind, waves and level changes; practical electrical diagnostics with thermography, I-V curves and insulation testing; a strong emphasis on safety when working over water; and an applied final project in which you plan the installation and maintenance of a complete floating plant.
Programme highlights
- Installer focus: assembly, launch, positioning and commissioning of floating plants.
- Flotation and mooring: floats, walkways, anchors and moorings under wind, waves and level changes.
- Electrical work: strings, inverters, dynamic cabling, earthing and pre-commissioning tests.
- Safety over water: permits to work, exclusion zones, rescue and adverse weather.
- Maintenance and diagnostics: thermography, I-V curves, drones and condition-based maintenance.
- Final project: installation and maintenance plan for a real type of water body.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Floating Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of floating photovoltaic systems and energy applications
- 1.1. Core concepts of floating solar photovoltaics and the differences between ground-mounted, rooftop, reservoir and marine platform installations
- 1.2. Principles of photovoltaic generation: solar irradiance, orientation, tilt, temperature and energy yield
- 1.3. Types of floating installation on reservoirs, industrial ponds, lakes, canals, ports and sheltered coastal areas
- 1.4. Main components: modules, floats, structures, anchors, cabling, inverters, protection devices and monitoring systems
- 1.5. Operational advantages: use of space, reduced evaporation, module cooling and proximity to existing grids
- 1.6. Limitations and risks linked to waves, wind, water level changes, corrosion, humidity, biofouling and restricted access
- 1.7. Building an integrated view of floating panels as an energy, structural, electrical and environmental system
- 1.8. State of floating photovoltaic technology and reference projects
Preliminary design, site selection and resource assessment
- 2.1. Assessing solar irradiance, shading, orientation, temperature, cloud cover and weather conditions at the site
- 2.2. Characterising the water body: depth, level, waves, currents, wind, water quality and shoreline layout
- 2.3. Analysing accessibility, grid proximity, availability of assembly areas and operational constraints
- 2.4. Selecting modules, floats, walkways, structures, inverters and equipment according to power, environment and service conditions
- 2.5. Preliminary plant sizing considering available surface, spacing, maintenance access and future expansion
- 2.6. Identifying environmental constraints, permits, shared uses of the water and compatibility with other activities
- 2.7. Preparing technical feasibility studies to select safe and productive sites
- 2.8. Bathymetry, waves and environmental load studies
Flotation systems, structures, anchoring and mooring
- 3.1. Types of modular floats, continuous platforms, metal structures and hybrid solutions for floating photovoltaic plants
- 3.2. Load distribution, stability, buoyancy, deformation and response to wind, waves and level changes
- 3.3. Designing walkways, maintenance corridors, access points, guardrails and safe working areas
- 3.4. Anchoring to the bed or the shore using piles, deadweights, flexible lines and combined configurations
- 3.5. Mooring design considering platform movement, tension, fatigue, abrasion, depth and water level variations
- 3.6. Selecting materials resistant to UV radiation, humidity, corrosion, salinity and prolonged exposure
- 3.7. Building structural configurations that maintain alignment, stability and safety throughout the service life
- 3.8. Float materials and UV durability
Electrical installation, cabling and connection of floating systems
- 4.1. Configuring photovoltaic strings, combiner boxes, inverters, transformers and protection panels
- 4.2. Routing cables over floating platforms, walkways, dynamic sections and connections to shore
- 4.3. Selecting cables, connectors, conduits, cable glands and enclosures resistant to humidity and solar radiation
- 4.4. Earthing, equipotential bonding and protection against overvoltage, lightning and electric shock
- 4.5. Integration with power grids, microgrids, pumping systems, industrial facilities and energy storage
- 4.6. Continuity, insulation, polarity, voltage, current and functional tests before commissioning
- 4.7. Building electrical installations that are safe, watertight, traceable and compatible with platform movement
- 4.8. Inverters, electrical protection and earthing in aquatic environments
Assembly procedures, commissioning and operational safety
- 5.1. Logistics planning for receiving, storing, assembling, launching, towing and positioning floating modules
- 5.2. Sequential assembly of floats, structures, modules, walkways, cabling and anchoring systems
- 5.3. Using auxiliary boats, work platforms, cranes, lifting equipment and specialist tools
- 5.4. Safety when working over water: electricity, load handling, falls, drowning and adverse weather
- 5.5. Coordinating crews, permits to work, communications, exclusion zones and rescue procedures
- 5.6. Commissioning through mechanical inspection, electrical testing, mooring checks and validation of the monitoring system
- 5.7. Developing assembly procedures that reduce risk, errors, damage and installation time
- 5.8. Support boats and safety for work on the water
Preventive maintenance, diagnostics and repair of floating installations
- 6.1. Preparing maintenance plans for modules, floats, structures, moorings, cables, inverters and auxiliary equipment
- 6.2. Cleaning panels while dealing with dirt, birds, mineral deposits, pollution and the environmental constraints of the water body
- 6.3. Inspecting for cracks, deformation, loss of buoyancy, loose connections, corrosion and mooring line wear
- 6.4. Electrical diagnostics using thermography, I-V curves, insulation testing, string checks and production analysis
- 6.5. Replacing damaged modules, floats, connectors, cables, fuses, inverters and other components
- 6.6. Using drones, thermal cameras, sensors, boats and digital platforms for condition-based maintenance
- 6.7. Building maintenance routines that increase availability, safety and energy yield
- 6.8. Module cleaning and inspection of floats and moorings
Monitoring, environmental management, regulations and life cycle
- 7.1. SCADA systems, weather sensors, electrical meters and plant performance monitoring platforms
- 7.2. Performance indicators: specific yield, availability, losses, degradation, efficiency and performance ratio
- 7.3. Assessing effects on water quality, temperature, oxygenation, biodiversity, navigation and landscape
- 7.4. Environmental prevention and mitigation measures during installation, operation, cleaning and maintenance
- 7.5. Regulatory requirements for electrical work, work over water, occupation of the public domain, safety and environmental protection
- 7.6. Managing documentation, inspections, maintenance records, warranties, spare parts and configuration control
- 7.7. Planning decommissioning, recycling, component reuse and site restoration
- 7.8. Applicable regulations and environmental impact assessment
Applied final project in floating solar installation and maintenance
- 8.1. Defining the case study: reservoir, irrigation pond, industrial lake, port, canal or sheltered coastal area
- 8.2. Diagnosis of the solar resource, water body, level, wind, waves, accessibility, grid and environmental constraints
- 8.3. System design: modules, floats, structures, anchors, moorings, cabling, inverters and monitoring
- 8.4. Preparing the plan for assembly, launch, connection, commissioning, safety and resource coordination
- 8.5. Developing the programme for preventive maintenance, diagnostics, repair, inspection and incident management
- 8.6. Writing the integrated technical report with estimated production, costs, schedule, risks, regulations and indicators
- 8.7. Budget and schedule for the proposed installation
- 8.8. Presentation and defence of the final project with technical, energy, structural, environmental and operational validation of the floating installation
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Floating Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the instalment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programmes.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Floating Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Floating Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Floating Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance
Reservoirs, irrigation and industrial ponds, lakes, canals, ports and sheltered coastal areas, each with its own conditions of level, wind, waves and access.
Photovoltaic modules, floats and structures, walkways, anchoring and mooring, cabling, inverters, protection devices and monitoring systems.
Mainly on installation, commissioning and maintenance, with enough preliminary design and site assessment to understand and check the projects you work on.
Yes. A full module deals with safe assembly, lifting, electrical work, fall and drowning risks, permits to work, exclusion zones and rescue procedures.
Yes. You work with thermography, I-V curves, insulation testing, string checks and production analysis to locate and fix faults.
Basic electrical knowledge is recommended; vocational training or experience in installation and maintenance helps, and the admission interview confirms your fit.
Fully online through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded, case studies and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The diploma comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of about 100 hours each and ends with an applied final project.
More programmes in Marine energy
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enrol in the same session.
- Profile: installers and maintenance technicians in electrical or renewable energy systems, construction and infrastructure professionals, and students of technical and engineering programmes. Vocational training in electricity, electronics, renewables or construction, or proven experience installing and maintaining systems, is recommended, together with basic electrical knowledge and the ability to read technical drawings.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a document viewer.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrolmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enrol
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.