SEAVOLT: delivering the huge potential of floating PV

Above: Combining offshore floating solar with offshore wind sites has the potential to add large volumes of additional renewable capacity, say the developers of SEAVOLT®

The R&D project is a joint effort with Ghent University and the RBIN (Belgian Royal Institute of Natural Sciences) and is supported by VLAIO (Flanders Innovation and Enrtrepreneurship), Energy Transition Fund and Relaunch Fund.

SEAVOLT® technology (patent pending) is said to be able to withstand harsh offshore conditions while creating large surfaces that are protected from the waves. The modular design allows easy adaptation to different sites and demands, the developers say, and claimed benefits include local renewable energy production and the possibility to install the panels in offshore windfarms (where local authorities permit multi-use concessions). Another advantage is the potential for addition of large volumes of renewable energy capacity in a relatively short time.

Following laboratory testing, the partners are currently developing an offshore test installation which will be launched off the Belgian coast in summer 2023. Furthermore, parallel tracks focusing on the ecosystem, the environment and cost effectiveness are being launched with the support of the Energy Transition Fund and the Federal Relaunch Fund.

The interest of the PV sector in offshore locations stems from land scarcity, combined with the need for local production and rapid acceleration of the energy transition, say SEAVOLT®’s developers. PV is developing faster than ever, they note, observing that the “magic” 1 TW milestone of installed capacity was reached in 2022. The need for local renewable energy production is increasing drastically, and the complementarity between wind and solar technology “has been confirmed all over the world”, they assert. “As authorities allow multi-use concessions and the grid infrastructure shows good potential for combined use, the addition of offshore floating solar to current and future offshore wind sites presents an opportunity to add large volumes of additional renewable energy.”