Netherlands Dutch company Solar Duck is preparing to build the world's largest floating solar power plant with a capacity of 5 MW.
Combined with wind turbines, solar panels placed on the water surface will help increase clean electricity production. Photo: SolarDuck
The construction of a 5-megawatt (MW) offshore floating solar power plant has begun with the design, construction and facility introduction stages, Interesting Engineering reported on March 5. Solar Duck, a Dutch company, is providing the technology for the plant.
SolarDuck has embarked on a $9.1 million project to build the world’s largest offshore solar power (OFS) project. The project will be integrated, licensed, and located within the OranjeWind wind farm on the west coast of the Netherlands. Before construction begins, a consortium called Nautical SUNRISE will study the project’s components, ensuring the reliability, long-term viability, stability, and productivity of the floating plant. Based on the study’s results, the authorities will draw up a detailed plan to address the challenges and accelerate the project’s commercialization.
The consortium will also conduct a sustainability assessment of the project, taking into account factors such as environmental impact and full life cycle. According to Don Hoogendoorn, chief technology officer at SolarDuck, the project will allow the company to better understand the ecological impact and safety of the design.
As countries look to cut back on fossil fuels, wind and solar power solutions are being installed rapidly. While the falling cost of electricity from these technologies is a welcome sign, low energy conversion rates remain a major issue. Both wind and solar power plants require large areas of land to harness the large amounts of electricity needed to convert efficiently.
The Earth’s land is limited and used for a variety of purposes, from housing and agriculture to industrial use. As a result, wind farms have moved offshore to build larger turbines and harness higher wind speeds, producing more clean electricity. Likewise, solar farms need to move to the water. Covering canals with solar panels might be a good idea in areas where water is scarce. But rivers and lakes cover only 0.2% of the planet’s surface. Furthermore, rivers are used for inland transportation, so installing solar panels could disrupt the current system.
In contrast, 71% of the planet’s surface is covered by sea, offering opportunities to build energy-harvesting facilities that harness the abundant sunlight. SolarDuck is interested in installing solar farms in an area called the Sunbelt. Areas like the Caribbean, Japan, South Korea, and even Oman are rich in sunshine but low in wind. With limited land, large-scale energy infrastructure is too expensive in those places. However, the surrounding seas are ideal for offshore floating power plants. This would help many countries reduce their dependence on diesel or natural gas and reduce carbon.
An Khang (According to Interesting Engineering )
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