Netherlands based offshore solar technology company Oceans of Energy has received an Approval in Principle (AiP) for its system design of a high wave offshore solar farm system from French testing and certification company Bureau Veritas, clearing its way to start producing these systems.
The Dutch company explains that its offshore solar system design is 'unique' since it is lightweight, unlike conventional offshore solar systems. Like a 'waterlily resting on the water surface', its system uses the sea surface directly as support allowing it to ride on waves, thanks to an 'innovative' system combining rigid and flexible structures.
It has installed this system in the North Sea with a 500 kW offshore solar farm operating since 2019. Calling it the world's '1st offshore solar farm proven in high waves', the Dutch company says it is modular and can be scaled to any size.
The company claims this array has withstood waves as high as 9.9 meters during the 4 years of its operation. Rough North Sea conditions were used in the reviewed tests on the system and load cases determined all the structural calculations that had to be fulfilled, it added.
The AiP has been given for all aspects and products needed for the company to produce the system including design base, designed floaters, mounting of the solar panels, scale model testing reports and mooring system design.
"Oceans of Energy is very proud to receive this Approval in Principle as we realize it is a testimony of sound engineering, a feasible and sound concept choice and a recognition as a leading technology with a promising future," said Founder and CEO of Oceans of Energy, Allard van Hoeken.
The Dutch company secured funding from the European Union's European Scalable Offshore Renewable Energy Sources (EU-SCORES) for a 3 MW offshore solar farm, co-located with a bottom fixed windfarm off the Belgian coast in September 2021 (see 3 MW Offshore Solar System Off Belgium Coast).
While offshore wind farms are a proven successful form of power generation across the globe, offshore solar farms are more complex as these are supposed to float on the surface of the sea. Metals and other material used for an offshore solar system are also exposed to the sea's saltiness and harsh weather conditions triggering the fear of corrosion over a period of time. Nonetheless, with the right technology these have the huge potential to become big land savers and energy generators.