Norwegian offshore floating solar PV technology company Ocean Sun has announced the commissioning of a 275 kW offshore demonstrator project in Spain's La Palma island. It calls the project as the largest ocean-based floating solar energy system in Europe.
Funded by the European Union (EU), the Bringing Offshore Ocean Sun to the Global Market (BOOST) project has come up close to the port of Tazacorte at La Palma of Canary Islands after a 3-year R&D effort. Other members of the BOOST consortium are France's Innosea, Spain's PLOCAN and The Institute of Technology of the Canary Islands (ITC) and Norway's Fred Olsen Renewables.
It secured a site-specific design verification from DNV, clearing the design suitability of its deployment.
"This latest system deployed in the southernmost part of Europe serves as a powerful demonstrator for the exploitation of the limitless solar resources at sea. Successful operation of the special membrane solution in these waters will pave the way for abundant supply of affordable renewable energy," said Ocean Sun CEO and Founder, Dr. Børge Bjørneklett.
The Norwegian company said this project aligns with the EU's commitment to remove barriers in implementing renewable energies, in accordance with its Solar Energy Strategy and the incentives for self-consumption installations.
According to the EU, the Horizon 2020 funded BOOST project is partly inspired by the fish farming floating and mooring technology. Ocean Sun has deployed its patented hydro-elastic membrane technology to keep the floater in place while facing strong weather conditions in the sea.
In October 2023, Ocean Sun entered a partnership with the Indian state-owned hydro company SJVN Limited to develop a 2 MW floating solar power plant using its patented technology (see Indian PSU Partners With Norwegian PV Company).
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