Nautical SUNRISE Project to facilitate R&D 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 (OFS) systems and its components.
The outcomes of the project will enable the large-scale deployment and commercialisation of OFS systems in the future, both as standalone systems and integrated into offshore wind farms. This project is aiming to design, build, and showcase a 5 MW offshore floating solar system using the modular solution of Dutch floating solar company SolarDuck. With RWE providing the investment for the installation and deployment, the system is planned to be electrically integrated, certified, and located within RWE’s OranjeWind (Hollandse Kust West VII) wind farm off the west coast of The Netherlands.
Prior to the offshore deployment, 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 OFS. 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.
SolarDuck is a Dutch-Norwegian cleantech company bringing to market a world-class Offshore Floating Solar solution. The company aims to electrify the world with OFS using its unique and patented technology by deploying 1GW of renewable energy from 2030.
