Tractebel, DEME and Ian De Nul have jointly developed a new floating solar technology capable of operating in harsh marine conditions.
The Belgian partners Tractebel, DEME and Ian De Nul present SEAVOLT©, a new offshore floating photovoltaic technology. This technology is the result of joint research and development, combining the knowledge of experts in solar energy, the environment and deep seas.
Connecting floating solar plants with land against wind sites has the potential to increase large volumes of additional renewable capacity.
SEAVOLT technology (patent pending) can withstand high seas conditions and create large areas protected from waves. The modular design allows easy adaptation to different locations and demands.
Among its local advantages are the production of renewable energy and the ability to install panels on wind farms (when most local authorities allow the use of concessions). Another advantage is the access to large volumes of renewable energy in a relatively short period of time.
Pilot facility on the Belgian coast
The partners, together with the University of Ghent, started the research project MPVAQUA (PV Marina Aquaculture) four years ago by the VLAIO (Flemish Government Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship) within the framework of the Blue Cluster. The floating marine concept was developed with initial research on the effects on the marine ecosystem, aquaculture integration and financial evaluation. After the laboratory tests, the partners are now deploying the offshore shell facility to the Belgian coast in the summer of 2023. In addition, they are putting parallel paths in the ecosystem, the environment and profits with the help of the Energy Transition Fund and the Federal Relaunch Fund.
Solar and wind energy are complementary.
The interest of the photovoltaic sector for marine sites is due to the scarcity of land, with the need for local production and the speed of acceleration of energy transition.
Photovoltaic technology is advancing faster than ever: the “magic” milestone of 1 TW of installed capacity has been reached in 2022, the need for local renewable energy is increasing dramatically, and the complementarity between wind and solar technology has been confirmed worldwide.
By allowing authorities to grant multi-use grants and grid infrastructure showing good potential for mixed use, the approach of extracting floating solar to existing and future wind sites provides an opportunity to develop large volumes of additional renewable energy.
Just as we have seen wind technology move from land to sea, we are seeing the extension of the entire energy system to remote sites. With the production of green fuel, offshore power islands, interconnected and possible solutions for energy storage, we believe that offshore floating PV can play an important role in accelerating the energy transition. Although this technology is still in its infancy, we are convinced that with such strong partners on board, SAVOLT will give us every opportunity to succeed.
Philippe Van Troeye, CEO of Tractebel
In our mission to work for a sustainable planet, DEME demonstrates its pioneering spirit once again. Working closely with like-minded partners, we have developed SAVOLT, a new renewable energy solution that has great potential to accelerate clean energy access. DEME has decades of knowledge of what it means to work in an extractive environment, and we are already a leading contractor in the wind industry itself. We believe that the combination of wind and solar power offers fantastic opportunities for the future.
Luc Vandenbulcke, CEO of DEME
We are pleased to launch SEAVOLT technology, which represents the culmination of years of work and innovation in PV technology together with our partners. SEAVOLT is a reliable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution that can be deployed in even the harshest marine conditions. As the wind energy industry continues to grow, we believe that it has the potential to play a crucial role in optimizing the use of on-shore space by completing contracting wind farms. We are excited to see how SAVOLT will shape the future of renewable energy and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Philip Hutse, Deputy Director of Jan De Nul Group
More information: www.seavolt.be
