Offshore wind energy has been a rapidly growing industry in recent years, and a company out of Italy is on the verge of revolutionizing the energy sector. Saipem, an engineering services company, just launched the world's first full-scale floating solar energy platform prototype, called XolarSurf, according to Interesting Engineering.
XolarSurf will spend about a year off the coast of Norway, where its performance and production capacity will be monitored. It's manufactured to withstand 26-foot waves along with the other harsh conditions in the North Atlantic. XolarSurf has a capacity of up to 13.5 megawatts, according to Saipem. For perspective, one megawatt can power roughly 1,000 homes.
"XolarSurf represents a new frontier in the floating solar segment," the company website states, "capable of being installed in any coastal or offshore location, even under harsh environmental conditions."
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If the trial proves successful, the technology could be perfect for remote areas far from land and consistent sources of power. It could be especially useful for the aquaculture industry, which involves the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, algae, and other organisms in various aquatic environments.
"Compared to floating wind turbines, floating solar power technology is simpler, engineering costs are lower, and structures are easier to build," Alexander Minge Thøgersen, vice president of engineering at Moss Maritime, a subsidiary of Saipem that's involved in the project, said.
The XolarSurf project has been in the works for years. In March 2020, Saipem and Moss Maritime signed a cooperation agreement to develop the floating solar park with Equinor, one of the Nordic region's largest oil and gas companies, which has recently made large investments in clean energy.
A few months after signing the agreement, Moss was conducting model trials.
Offshore, floating solar farms are a logical next step in the expansion of clean energy sources. They could be a viable alternative in areas where offshore wind energy doesn't make sense because of extremely deep water or the high cost of construction associated with deep water installations.
Technology such as XolarSurf could be a game-changer for remote islands that are often dependent on the import of dirty energy, which is not only costly but can be unreliable. This technology could provide cheaper and more reliable energy for the people living on such islands while at the same time reducing dependency on fuel sources that contribute to the overheating of the planet.
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