The “world’s first” offshore solar farm integrated within a wind farm is ready for deployment at the Hollandse Kust Noord (HKN) offshore wind farm in the North Sea, following its assembly at the Port of Amsterdam.
Oceans of Energy, a Dutch company, assembled the floating solar farm in just three days. This summer, it will be towed 18.5 kilometers offshore to the HKN site, managed by CrossWind, a joint venture between Shell and Eneco.
The project employs prefabricated solar units designed for offshore environments, marking a significant step toward scaling hybrid wind-solar systems.
A ceremony at the Port of Amsterdam celebrated the assembly completion and named the platform “Nymphaea Aurora.”
Maria Kalogera, Innovations Manager at CrossWind, stated, “The innovation program of the Hollandse Kust Noord wind farm paves the way for key technologies that may enhance offshore wind projects.”
Nymphaea Aurora, named after a European water lily, is designed to float at water level, enabling large-scale deployment with minimal material use, according to Oceans of Energy.
Allard van Hoeken, Founder & CEO of Oceans of Energy, commented, “Nymphaea Aurora represents a breakthrough in scaling offshore solar with minimal materials, akin to nature’s solar collectors.”
The Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth is evaluating the project’s potential to combine offshore solar with wind to reduce emissions and drive industrial growth in the Netherlands.
Rogier van Tooren, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted, “The Netherlands leads in offshore solar energy, thanks to its maritime expertise and public-private partnerships, with significant export potential.”
Dorine Bosman, Chief Investment Officer at the Port of Amsterdam, emphasized the port’s role in supporting energy innovations like the Oceans of Energy solar concept.
The Hollandse Kust Noord project is a 759 MW offshore wind farm that incorporates new technologies to enhance project flexibility, aiming to produce 3.3 TWh of clean energy annually.
Oceans of Energy secured the contract to install and operate the offshore solar farm within the HKN wind park in April 2023. Read more about the contract.
Original Story at www.offshorewind.biz