With the support of RWE, the Dutch-Norwegian company SolarDuck, has installed its offshore floating solar (OFPV) project, Merganser, according to the company's release. The pilot project aims to test and demonstrate the structural, mooring and electrical designs and acquire knowledge about manufacturing, assembly, offshore installation and maintenance methodologies required for large-scale commercial deployment of OFPV.
Merganser has a capacity of 0.5 megawatt peak (MWp) and is located in the Dutch North Sea, approximately 12 kilometers off the coast of Scheveningen. The scalable concept consists of six interconnected platforms that can withstand extreme offshore conditions. The floating platforms were successfully connected to the mooring system in water depth of 20 meters. RWE will continue to provide its offshore know-how and technical support to the pilot project.
Taking solar farms offshore requires technology that is able to withstand rough offshore conditions. SolarDuck´s triangular-shaped platform is designed to float several meters above the water, following the waves like a carpet. In this way, the design is keeping critical components dry, clean and stable, as well as securing the structural integrity of the semi-submersible floating structure. The design received recently the world’s first certification for OFPV by Bureau Veritas.