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GCL SI Delivers Marine Floating Solar Solution in the Maldives, Enabling Island Energy Transition

Business

GCL SI Delivers Marine Floating Solar Solution in the Maldives, Enabling Island Energy Transition
Business

Business

GCL SI Delivers Marine Floating Solar Solution in the Maldives, Enabling Island Energy Transition

2026-01-19 14:50 Last Updated At:15:05

SUZHOU, China, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GCL System Integration (GCL SI) has announced the successful completion of the joint floating solar energy project in collaboration with long-term partner Ocean Sun for the Soneva Secret resort in Maldives, which utilizes over 4,200 TOPCon marine floating modules supplied by GCL SI and will provide up to 90 percent of the resort's clean electricity upon completing to fully replace the original diesel generators.

The project is estimated to save up to 1 million liters of diesel annually and reduce carbon emissions by more than 2,000 tons, marking a critical step forward for islands and remote communities pursuing economically viable energy independence through clean sources.

Power generation on islands has long relied on diesel gensets, and due to land and roof space constraints, transitioning to and scaling up renewable power projects is difficult and may increase costs and limit economic development for islands.

To maximize the utilization of ocean surface space and offshore solar resources, and to address the constraints of photovoltaic power station construction on land, GCL SI leveraged its extensive experience in offshore projects, and through thorough research and complete evaluation of the boundary conditions affecting photovoltaic modules in marine environments, the company offered highly waterproof, corrosion-resistant and marine-resistant solutions tailored to diverse sea conditions, including the GCL-NT10/60GT Monocrystalline Module specifically developed for marine application.

Designed to withstand harsh marine environments characterized by high salinity, humidity, ultraviolet exposure, and strong wind and wave conditions, the TOPCon marine modules incorporate multiple design features to enhance reliability and reduce operational risks:

  • Anti-corrosion frames: Enhanced frame coating thickness (5–10 μm improvement) and fatigue-resistant design improve durability and corrosion resistance in high-salt offshore environments.
  • Double-coated glass: Strengthens resistance to wind and wave loads while minimizing water ingress and salt crystallization, reducing long-term corrosion risks.
  • Highly waterproof junction boxes: Protects against water and salt spray, addresses heat dissipation challenges with upgraded diode chip.
  • Dual-layer high-grammage POE (polyolefin elastomer) encapsulant film with upgraded weatherability: Enhances moisture barriers, PID resistance, and ultraviolet stability, helping prevent material degradation over time.
  • Four-buckle connector design: Improves connection stability and sealing performance, reducing the risk of water ingress and electrical arcing in marine conditions.

The modules have passed multiple stringent certifications from TÜV Rheinland, with power degradation significantly lower than IEC standards, ensuring long-term and reliable system operation.

This milestone project underscores GCL SI's technical capability in offshore photovoltaics while demonstrating the practical viability of floating solar solutions for island energy transition. By successfully replacing diesel-based generation with marine-adapted photovoltaic systems, the project highlights a scalable pathway toward cleaner and more resilient energy infrastructure for islands. With hundreds of resort islands in the Maldives alone, and countless more island communities worldwide still reliant on diesel power, the replication potential is substantial.

The successful deployment of GCL SI's modules paves a practical path toward cleaner, more resilient energy systems for islands and remote coastal regions globally, supporting both decarbonization goals and sustainable development.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

GCL SI Delivers Marine Floating Solar Solution in the Maldives, Enabling Island Energy Transition

GCL SI Delivers Marine Floating Solar Solution in the Maldives, Enabling Island Energy Transition

At Anker Day 2026, Anker Innovations marks its 15th anniversary by unveiling THUS™ - ANKER's first neural-net Compute-in-Memory AI audio chip - and a new generation of products across soundcore and eufy.

NEW YORK and Bellevue, Wash., May 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Anker Innovations is hosting Anker Day 2026: Where Ultimate Meets Possible, its annual brand event to showcase the newest product launches and technology break-throughs across its portfolio. Where Ultimate Meets Possible will bring together media, retail buyers and key influencers for an exclusive look at what's next in consumer electronics, spanning premium audio, home energy and the smart home appliances.

Where Ultimate Meets Possible will be held at STORIED in New York City, an invite-only experience featuring keynote presentations, hands-on product demonstrations and a deep dive into the company's latest innovations.

Anker Day 2026 debuted innovations across three brands: soundcore's Liberty 5 Pro and Pro Max — the first earbuds powered by Anker's new THUS™ AI chip — alongside VibeOS AI platform and Nebula SpaceFlow; Anker SOLIX's S2000, the world's longest-lasting 2kWh home backup power station; and eufy's EdgeAgent™, a local AI home security agent, plus new baby care products.

Started With Power

Anker was founded in 2011 and released its first product in the following year: a 4,500mAh ultra-slim power bank. It was a modest beginning, but behind it was an engineering conviction that would shape everything that followed. If technology is going to make a meaningful difference in people's lives, it has to be built to the highest possible standard.

2012 - The Beginning
Anker's first product: a 4,500mAh ultra-slim power bank - the start of a commitment to putting well-engineered, reliable power in people's hands.

2013 - PowerIQ™
Introduced PowerIQ™, enabling fast-charging compatibility across both iOS and Android - setting the standard for universal charging intelligence.

2018 - GaN from Aerospace
An early adopter of Gallium Nitride (GaN) from aerospace applications for consumer charging - delivering a 40% size reduction without sacrificing output.

2019 - World's Smallest 18W Charger
Delivered the world's smallest 18W charger at the time - proving that ultimate performance and ultra-compact form are not a trade-off.

2022 - GaNPrime™
Pioneered high-power multi-port chargers with dynamic power distribution - intelligently allocating power across multiple devices simultaneously.

2023 - 240W Wall Charger
Delivered the industry's highest-power 240W wall charger at the time - meeting the demands of the most power-hungry professional setups.

2024 - InstaCord™ & UltraDura™
In 2024, InstaCord™ became Anker's most advanced retractable‑cable technology and UltraDura™ achieved industry‑leading durability.

2025 - GaNPrime™ 2.0 • PowerIQ™ 5.0 • AnkerSense™ View • TurboBoost™
GaNPrime™ 2.0 (most advanced fast charging), PowerIQ™ 5.0 (smartest compatibility), AnkerSense™ View (intelligent display technology), and TurboBoost™ for ultra-fast power bank recharging. The pursuit never stops.

Fifteen years. Eight technology generations. Every breakthrough driven by one and only promise: seeking the ultimate innovation, not as an end in itself, but because technology built to its highest standard is how we put the possibilities people want in their lives within reach. Technology in service of people. That is what this pursuit has always meant.

Today's Milestone: Anker Thus™

For 80 years, chip design has followed the same logic established by John von Neumann in 1945: separate the processor from memory, and shuttle data between them one instruction at a time. For eight decades across mainframes, desktops, and data centers, this model worked. AI breaks that assumption. A neural network draws on millions of learned parameters all at once - and in a wearable device, moving that data between memory and processor consumes more than 90 percent of chip power, leaving almost nothing for actual computation.

THUS™ applies a different principle: embed computation directly inside NOR Flash memory cells, where the model already lives. The model parameters never have to move. The energy previously consumed by data movement is redirected entirely to computation.

The first THUS™ AI chip debuts in earbuds, delivering up to 150 times more AI computing power on the environmental noise cancellation task than Anker's previous-generation flagship earphones.

Clear Calls - the chip's first disclosed feature - runs a large neural network entirely on-device, anchored by eight MEMS microphones and two bone conduction sensors, for a significantly clear call in any environment. Additional AI-powered features including Signature Sound and Voice Control debuted at Anker Day.

"Every AI chip built until now stores the model on one side and does the computation on the other. To think, the device has to carry all those parameters across, many times per second, every single inference. THUS™ puts the computation where the model already lives. The model never has to move again."

- Steven Yang, Founder and CEO, Anker Innovations

THUS™ takes inspiration from "Thus have I heard", a Buddhist phrase that reflects direct transmission - knowledge conveyed as it was experienced, without distortion.

All performance figures are based on internal Anker lab tests. The 150× AI computing power figure applies specifically to the environmental noise cancellation task and reflects the architectural change from rule-based to neural-net AI processing. It is not a general performance claim and does not reflect a process node upgrade. The environmental noise cancellation workload referenced here runs as an on-device neural network model on the first THUS™ chip.

Anker soundcore Liberty 5 Pro: The First Product Powered by Anker Thus™

The soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max are the first two products to ship with the THUS™ chip. Their positioning is organized around three on-device intelligence layers the chip enables - understanding, adapting, and tuning - each representing a function earbuds could not credibly perform before neural-net AI became viable at this scale. Coming to the market soon.

15 Years, One Promise

From our first power bank to a proprietary AI chip in 2026 - the categories we build in keep expanding, and so does the scope of what technology can do for people's lives. Our promise has been one and only, seeking the ultimate innovation, with the conviction that technology built to its highest standard makes the possibilities people want in their lives the ones they can actually live. Fifteen years is long enough to know that trust is earned slowly. Fifteen years in. The pursuit continues.

About Anker Innovations

Anker Innovations is a global consumer technology company driven by ultimate innovation, creating products that help people power, create, connect, and live more freely. Founded in 2011, Anker Innovations serves more than 200 million consumers across 146 countries and regions. Learn more at anker.com.

DISCLAIMER

*Statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may include forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of the company. We wish to caution you that such statements are just predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties surrounding competitive and industry conditions, market acceptance for the company's products, risks of litigation, technological changes, developing industry standards and other factors related to the company's businesses. The actions referred to in this press release are not an admission or acknowledgement of any claim or allegation. The Company reserves all of its rights.

** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **

15 Years of Seeking Ultimate Innovation: From Power Banks to Proprietary AI THUS™ Chip

15 Years of Seeking Ultimate Innovation: From Power Banks to Proprietary AI THUS™ Chip

15 Years of Seeking Ultimate Innovation: From Power Banks to Proprietary AI THUS™ Chip

15 Years of Seeking Ultimate Innovation: From Power Banks to Proprietary AI THUS™ Chip

15 Years of Seeking Ultimate Innovation: From Power Banks to Proprietary AI THUS™ Chip

15 Years of Seeking Ultimate Innovation: From Power Banks to Proprietary AI THUS™ Chip

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