Achieving 100% Renewable Energy Using New Offshore Floating Solar Technology
Offshore solar is a unique alternative clean energy source. For island nations and densely populated coastal areas, floating solar at sea might be the only opportunity to achieve their [100%] renewable energy goals. Such areas face land challenges, ranging from scarcely available land to competition with main economic sectors (tourism), and from high renting costs to inappropriate terrains requiring expensive land preparations. There are limited options to replace conventional fossil fuel energy sources: few islands have the potential for geothermal, marine energies or offshore wind; roof-based solar-projects are insufficient. In all these cases, offshore solar is available, and practically unlimited.
In 2019, the Netherlands will showcase the world’s first truly offshore floating solar project at open sea, 12 km offshore The Hague. The patented design is an innovative offshore integrated PV-system that is designed for modularity and to cope with rough sea conditions including corrosion, wind, and waves up to 13 meters high.