Netherlands to Build Offshore Solar Power Farm

Image: Rotterdam Skyline via Pixabay

 Oceans of Energy, a Dutch company, has announced that they will be building a large offshore solar power farm in the North Sea. The company aims to have the farm supplying energy to the Dutch mainland within three years.
After the initial pilot next year, a consortium of energy producers, scientists and researchers plan to transform the former offshore seaweed farm into 2,500 square metres of floating solar panels by 2021.
 This project will receive 1.2 million euros ($1.48 million) in government funding. Not only will this pilot begin supplying the nation with energy, but it will also allow scientists to test equipment, weather conditions, environment impacts and energy output.
 “In addition to removing the problem of a land shortage, there are several other benefits to building at sea, similar to those in wind energy,” said solar energy expert Wilfried van Sark at Utrecht University, who is involved in the project. “There is more sun at sea and there is the added benefit of a cooling system for the panels, which boosts output by up to 15 percent,”
This project comes at a time when the Netherlands is struggling to mitigate fossil fuel reliance and meet greenhouse gas emission targets after years of under-investment in renewables.

Read more about this fascinating story at: https://www.reuters.com/article/netherlands-solar-offshore/dutch-plan-to-build-giant-offshore-solar-power-farm-idUSL8N1Q46M0