Work Starts On World’s Largest Floating Solar Project, Part of RWE’s OranjeWind
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The Nautical SUNRISE consortium partners have commenced the project whose goal is to facilitate research and development of offshore floating solar systems and its components. The project aims to integrate a 5 MW offshore floating solar system within RWE’s OranjeWind, a wind farm to be built 53 kilometres off the Dutch coast.
These three paragraphs outline the project.
Research and development on the offshore floating solar (OFS) systems and its components of the EUR 8.4 million project, supported by EUR 6.8 million of the Horizon Europe programme, kicked off in December 2023.
The project will enable the large-scale deployment and commercialisation of offshore floating solar systems in the future, both as standalone systems and integrated into offshore wind farms.
The project aims to design, build, and showcase a 5 MW OFS system using the modular solution of the Dutch floating company SolarDuck.
Note.
- It’s only the fourth of March and this is the second floating solar project of the month.
- The first was SolarDuck, Green Arrow Capital And New Developments S.R.L. Sign Collaboration Agreement For A Grid-Scale Offshore Hybrid Wind-Solar Project In Italy.
- I can understand Italy, but surely a solar farm in the Dutch waters of the North Sea, is being at least slightly optimistic.
But the home page of the Oranjewind web site, does have a mission statement of Blueprint For The New Generation Of Offshore Wind Farms.
Under a heading of The Perfect Match, this is said.
RWE’s OranjeWind offshore wind farm will be located 53 kilometers from the Dutch coast. To tackle the challenges of fluctuating power generation from wind and flexible energy demand, RWE has developed a blueprint for the integration of offshore wind farms in the Dutch energy system.
A combination of smart innovations and investments will be used to realise this perfect match between supply and demand.
Under Innovations At OranjeWind, this is said.
In order to realise system integration and accelerate the energy transition, RWE is working together with a number of innovators on new developments in offshore wind farms. The company is realising and testing these innovations in the OranjeWind wind farm.These innovations include offshore floating solar, a subsea lithium-ion battery, LiDAR power forecasting system and a subsea hydro storage power plant off-site.
These technologies have their own sections, which give more information.
- Subsea Pumped Hydro Storage Power Plant (Ocean Grazer)
- Floating Solar (SolarDuck)
- Intelligent Subsea Energy Storage (Verlume)
- LiDAR-based Power Forecasting (ForWind, University of Oldenburg)
The web site also says this about knowledge from OranjeWind.
There is a lot to learn in an innovative project such as OranjeWind. While developing the wind farm, RWE started the OranjeWind Knowledge programme. This programme aims to generate and share knowledge to accelerate the energy transition.
In strong partnerships with TNO and Dutch universities, research is carried out in parallel to the development and operation of OranjeWind. By sharing research results, lessons learned, and relevant in-house expertise, RWE aims to close knowledge gaps and provide valuable insights in key focus areas for system integration. The generated knowledge will become openly available to educational and research institutes, governments and the market.
To ensure the dissemination of knowledge, RWE will actively partner with educational institutions of all levels across the Netherlands. These partnerships allow RWE to share its expertise and provide the future workforce with the knowledge and skills needed to enable the energy transition.
It certainly appears that RWE intends to get as much out of this project as they can.
I don’t think that they can be criticised for that objective.
Floating Solar Not Yet Up to Par To Be Brought Into Offshore Wind Tenders, Says BP’s Benelux Head Of Offshore Wind
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
System integration is what is needed for the next leap in offshore wind, however, not all technologies that can integrate with offshore wind farms have the same starting point. Floating solar still has some way to go in becoming more resilient to harsh offshore conditions. On the other hand, hydrogen is a more ready option with plenty of support from the industry, but it needs to be included and clearly defined in offshore wind tenders.
These two paragraphs describe the views of Frank Oomen, Head of Offshore Wind Benelux at BP.
This is according to Frank Oomen, Head of Offshore Wind Benelux at BP, who discussed financial and qualitative criteria in offshore wind auctions during the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2023 (OEEC 2023).
Speaking about recently joining BP from the renewables industry, Oomen pointed out that, with offshore wind becoming larger scale, it needs to move in the direction of system integration and become an integrated energy business itself.
I had a lot of my engineering education, in ICI’s world of integrated chemical plants and I believe that Frank Oomen’s views are heading in the right direction.
If we take Frank Oomen’s views to their logical conclusion, we will see the following.
- Clusters of wind farms far from land in productive wind power areas.
- A nearby electrolyser will be producing hydrogen.
- The hydrogen will be taken to the shore by pipeline or tanker.
- BP with their oil and gas heritage, have been doing this for decades.
BP might even have some redundant gas infrastructure they can repurpose.
RWE To Start Building Battery Storage That Will Support Dutch Offshore Wind Farm
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
RWE has finalised its investment decision for a battery storage project in the Netherlands that will optimise the OranjeWind offshore wind farm’s integration into the Dutch energy system. The company plans to invest approximately EUR 24 million into the project.
This paragraph outlines the system.
The system, which will have an installed power capacity of 35 MW and a storage capacity of 41 MWh, will consist of a total of 110 lithium-ion battery racks that will be installed at RWE’s biomass plant in Eemshaven and will be virtually coupled with RWE’s power plants in the Netherlands.
There is also an explanatory infographic.
Note.
I visited Eemshaven in The Train Station At The Northern End Of The Netherlands.
- The wind farm has a capacity of 760 MW.
- Solar panels will float between the wind turbines.
- Surplus energy will be turned into hydrogen.
The OranjeWind wind farm has a web site, with a video that explains RWE’s philosophy.
The web site has a section, which is entitled Innovations At OranjeWind, where this is said.
In order to realise system integration and accelerate the energy transition, RWE is working together with a number of innovators on new developments in offshore wind farms. The company is realising and testing these innovations in the OranjeWind wind farm.
These innovations include offshore floating solar, a subsea lithium-ion battery, LiDAR power forecasting system and a subsea hydro storage power plant off-site.
Three innovations are discussed in a bit more detail, with links to more information.
- Subsea pumped hydro storage power plant – Ocean Grazer – More…
- Floating solar – SolarDuck – More…
- Intelligent Subsea Energy Storage – Verlume – More…
Big companies should always support innovation.
Malta Months Away from First Offshore Wind Tender, Identifies Six Floating Wind Areas
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Malta’s Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise has issued a draft National Policy for the Deployment of Offshore Renewable Energy for public consultation and has demarcated six floating offshore wind development areas located beyond the country’s 12-nautical-mile territorial waters and into its potential Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
These are the first three paragraphs.
According to the Ministry, an international call for expressions of interest will be launched after the public consultation and the subsequent updating of the policy document, while a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will be prepared at the same time. The completion of a plan-level SEA will help further narrow down the preliminary areas and pinpoint the preferred locations for offshore renewable installations.
The six areas, as well as the rest of Malta’s potential EEZ, have been deemed most suitable for floating offshore wind and solar technologies and, according to the policy, the government has taken into account the possibility of having projects that combine the two technologies.
Looking at other offshore and marine renewables, the government has determined that, although not precluded, wave and tidal energy potential for Malta is considered very limited.
Note.
- Malta has no domestic resource of fossil fuels and no gas distribution network.
- Renewable energy on Malta has one of the lowest shares in the European Union.
- Malta has four operational electricity plants , with a total capacity of 537.8 MW.
- There is a 200 MW interconnector to Sicily.
- Malta has run a pilot project to assess floating solar power.
- The article embraces solar power, but dismisses wave and tidal power.
As the article says that Malta has 25 GW of offshore wind potential, I suspect that Malta will attract bids for the offshore wind licences around the island from some of the world’s largest, experienced and most well-respected offshore wind companies.
I do have a few thoughts.
A Large Generation Capacity
If Malta develops its full 25 GW of offshore wind potential, it will have more than enough electricity for its normal use.
This could mean.
- Malta could have all the electricity needed to run air-conditioners everywhere.
- Malta could export electricity to Sicily.
- Malta could become a hydrogen production centre.
- I also suspect, it could mean that Malta would need some energy storage.
I’ll look at the last two points, in the next two sections.
Hydrogen Production
In the last year or so I’ve written several posts about Offshore Hydrogen Production and Malta would it seems be an ideal location to develop this industry.
- Hydrogen could be used for transport on the island.
- Hydrogen could replace imports of gas.
- Hydrogen could be exported by tanker.
- Lhyfe and other companies are developing offshore hydrogen production.
I don’t think, there would be a problem recruiting engineers to develop the industry.
Energy Storage
Because of the large generation capacity around Malta, even with substantial hydrogen production, I am sure there will be a need for some energy storage around the island.
In UK Cleantech Consortium Awarded Funding For Energy Storage Technology Integrated With Floating Wind, I described a technique called Marine Pumped Hydro, which is being developed by the STORE Consortium.
- Energy is stored as pressurised water in 3D-printed hollow concrete spheres fitted with a hydraulic turbine and pump.
- The spheres sit on the sea-bed.
- This page on the STORE Consortium web site, describes the technology in detail.
- The technology is has all been used before, but not together.
I think it is excellent technology and the UK government has backed it with £150,000 of taxpayers’ money.
I also believe that Marine Pumped Hydro or something like it, could be the solution to the intermittency of wind farms.
It could be ideal to use in the seas around Malta.
Conclusion
Malta could be a renewable energy hub in the middle of the Mediterranean.
I think the Malta renewable energy developments, will show how various technologies can work together.
Oceans of Energy To Build Offshore Solar Array At Hollandse Kust Noord Offshore Wind Park
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Oceans of Energy has been awarded the contract for installing and operating offshore solar farm inside the Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind park being developed by CrossWind, a joint venture between Shell and Eneco.
This is the first paragraph.
This is set to be the first offshore solar farm in the world to be connected, installed, and operated within a wind farm in high wave conditions. The offshore solar farm will be realized in 2025, while the wind park will be operational by the end of 2023, according to Oceans of Energy.
These are some other points from the article.
- It looks like the solar will be floating.
- The wind/solar farm will have offshore battery storage.
- Green hydrogen will be generated offshore.
This wind/solar farm will be all things to all men and women.
Dutch Take Aim At Lower Green Hydrogen Costs By Combining Offshore Wind And Floating Solar
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
A consortium of Dutch companies has launched a government-backed project to explore the synergies between offshore wind, offshore solar and hydrogen production at sea for improved sustainability of North Sea renewable energy projects.
T thought about calling this post, The Dutch Go For The Full Monty, but there is no mention of wave or tidal power.
These two paragraphs outline the project.
The four-year project, dubbed Solar Enhanced North Sea Energy Hub (SENSE-HUB), is expected to accelerate the rollout of offshore solar into offshore renewable energy systems.
Let by TNO, short for Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, the project will address the integration of various energy system modules for the Dutch North Sea by understanding and removing the implementation barriers for future SENSE-HUBs from a technical, economical, ecological, legal and societal perspective.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see more integrated systems like this in the waters around our coasts.
I also believe that the ultimate offshore energy production system will also use wave and tidal power to generate electricity and have inbuilt energy storage.
The Anonymous Widower 