A general view of floating offshore solar PV energy

Climate change caused by the usage of fossil fuels has led to an increased interest in the development of better and more efficient renewable energy sources. This can help create a smooth transition from traditional energy production methods to a new generation of environmentally friendly ones, although there are challenges to overcome. In the case of solar photovoltaics, land use has made its widespread deployment impossible, alongside a high energy price caused by its low level of implementation. Consequently, floating photovoltaics have emerged as a plausible solution, drawing inspiration from other industries such as wind energy. This review seeks to provide a comprehensive guide to understanding the current landscape of floating photovoltaics. To this end, this paper will explore the components that make up a floating solar plant and its design requirements, such as considerations in the field of its mechanical resistance and energy production. In addition, this review will also present existing systems, explaining their most important innovations and their current state of development, as well as the ability to be hybridised with other marine renewable sources, like wind energy, the advantages of doing so and the problems that may arise when these technologies share the same space.