RWE, a German energy company, is partnering with companies to develop “floating solar parks” in the North Sea to invest in a pilot project centered on floating solar technology. SolarDuck, a Dutch-Norwegian firm, will install the pilot off the coast of Ostend, Belgium, with a peak capacity of 0.5 MWp. This will be the firm’s first offshore pilot, according to RWE. The company and SolarDuck will both benefit from ‘important first-hand experience in one of the world’s most challenging offshore environments,’ the firm said.
The technology could be commercialized faster as a result of the project’s learnings starting in 2023, according to RWE. SolarDuck’s system is based on a design that allows the solar panels to ‘float’ meters above water and ride the waves like a carpet, according to RWE.
SolarDuck’s technology will be used on a larger demonstration project at the yet-to-be-developed Hollandse Kust West offshore wind farm, which RWE is currently bidding for. RWE believes that by integrating offshore floating solar into an offshore wind farm, they can more efficiently use sea space for energy generation.
CrossWind, working on Hollandse Kust (noord), is a joint venture between Eneco and Shell. Earlier this month, EDP, a Portuguese energy firm, opened a 5 MW floating solar park in Alqueva reservoir.
The CEO of EDP, Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade, said last week that ‘hybridization, by combining water, sun, wind, and storage electricity,’ was the ‘most logical path for growth.’ He also said that EDP would continue to invest in hybridization because it optimized resources and enabled them to produce cheaper energy.
