4 March 2024:
Nautical SUNRISE project to facilitate research and development of the largest offshore floating solar power plant in the world
The Nautical SUNRISE project is set to support the world's largest offshore floating solar power installation. The € 8.4 million project, supported with € 6.8 million of the Horizon Europe programme, kicked off in December 2023 to execute research and development on offshore floating solar systems and its components. The outcomes of the project will enable the large-scale deployment and commercialization of offshore floating solar systems in the future, both as standalone systems and integrated into offshore wind farms.
This project will provide valuable research to develop technologies to showcase an intended 5 MW offshore floating solar system using the modular solution of Dutch floating solar company SolarDuck.
The Nautical SUNRISE consortium will conduct extensive research and testing to ensure the reliability, survivability, electrical stability, and yield of offshore floating solar systems. A comprehensive scale-up plan will address the challenges and create opportunities to drive forward the commercialisation of offshore floating solar systems.
With sustainability in mind, Nautical SUNRISE is committed to consider the environmental impact and sustainability of offshore floating solar. The project will assess the environmental footprint, circularity, and full life cycle sustainability of offshore floating solar systems. This assessment will not only cover the demonstrator project but also include multiple GW-scale commercial projects, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the technology's ecological implications.
The Nautical SUNRISE consortium is looking forward to paving the way for a new era in offshore renewable energy, contributing to a more sustainable future for generations to come.
CTO DMEC Simon Stark quote: "We are excited to coordinate the Nautical SUNRISE project as one of the flagship initiatives of offshore solar in Europe."
CTO SolarDuck Don Hoogendoorn quote: "This subsidy allows SolarDuck with its partners to push the environmental boundary of the design and at the same time get an in-depth understanding of the ecological and reliability of the design."
Nautical SUNRISE consortium partners
The project is made possible via a collaboration of its partners: project lead Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC), SolarDuck, RWE, Blunova - a Carlo Maresca Group company, Bridon-Bekaert The Ropes Group, Deltares, Hasselt University (UHasselt), KU Leuven, Oxford PV, SINTEF Industry, SINTEF Ocean, The Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC-CERCA), INESC TEC, and WavEC Offshore Renewables.
More information
For more information on the Nautical SUNRISE project and updates on offshore floating solar technology, please contact Aida Sutopo.
