Valenciaport installs 8.6 kWp IT3 vertical solar panels on breakwater wall
The Port Authority of Valencia (APV), operating commercially as Valenciaport, has commenced the installation of vertical solar panels on the breakwater wall of the Port of Valencia’s northern extension.
The clean energy initiative represents a practical test step in the port’s ongoing strategy to advance toward a more sustainable, efficient, and thoroughly decarbonized operational model.
The installation contract was officially awarded to Pavener Servicios Energéticos S.L. for a total investment of $195,000, with the physical setup projected to be fully operational by September 2026.
The specialized infrastructure work is a core component of the broader European initiative, Renewport, which focuses on harnessing renewable energy potential to drive clean energy transitions across Mediterranean ports.
To make the installation viable on a vertical sea wall, the project utilizes a unique technological layout called IT3, an engineered solution created and registered by the local Valencian startup SunnerBox.
The engineering behind the matrix
Unlike conventional, rigid solar arrays that require heavy building modifications or sprawling horizontal space, the IT3 framework relies on a matrix layout. The structural footprint consists of a matrix system of photovoltaic panels arranged directly across a specialized mesh network. This mesh is tightly suspended using a system of heavy-duty ties and tensioners anchored directly into the face of the concrete breakwater wall.
According to technical specifications provided by SunnerBox, mounting the panels via a flexible mesh framework drastically reduces upfront structural modification costs and minimizes overall material weights.
Furthermore, the streamlined layout accelerates the physical installation process on the concrete wall, simplifies routine maintenance sweeps in the coastal zone, and significantly enhances the long-term economic viability of scaling up vertical wall energy systems across industrial marine facilities.
Real-time performance monitoring
The newly deployed pilot system consists of 21 distinct photovoltaic modules. Each individual panel carries a capacity rating of 410 watts, bringing the total installed peak power capacity of the vertical wall array to exactly 8.6 kilowatts peak (kWp).
This targeted pilot test is being spearheaded by the Port Authority of Valencia, in active collaboration with the Project Management, Innovation, and Sustainability Research Center (PRINS) at the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
The research partners will conduct a rigorous, two-month performance assessment window to observe the system under real maritime conditions. During this data-collection phase, a specialized suite of various onboard sensors will track the total energy generation metrics and measure the structural dynamic behavior of the mesh framework in real time.
The electricity generated by the 21 panels during the trial will be fed directly back into the array to power the diagnostic sensor system. By verifying how the tensioned mesh withstands maritime forces, the project aims to demonstrate how existing harbor breakwaters can be converted into passive clean energy hubs.