Bureau Veritas (BV) has awarded renewable energy company SolarDuck the world’s first prototype certification for a floating offshore solar technology, as applied in SolarDuck’s 0.5MW pilot, Merganser.
The Merganser project
The Merganser project, developed by SolarDuck and supported by RWE, features an offshore floating solar pilot with a capacity of 520kWp. Comprising six interconnected platforms, the solution is designed to withstand challenging offshore conditions, including high waves, strong winds and corrosive environments. The design has been certified to withstand a maximum wave height of 11.6m (with a directional 10-year return period) at a water depth of 21.5m (MSL) at the North Sea Farmers test site. It will be deployed off the coast of The Hague, Netherlands, providing a real-world operational environment to evaluate its performance and resilience in the dynamic North Sea.
Bureau Veritas has been supporting SolarDuck in its efforts to develop floating solar solutions. The certification of the Merganser prototype follows the approval in principle (AiP) granted for its floating structure. Throughout the certification process, Bureau Veritas evaluated the prototype against rules and standards, including guidance note NI631 on the Certification Scheme for Marine Renewable Energy Technologies. These assessments covered various aspects such as the floating structure, mooring system, stability analysis, materials and electrical safety systems. Moving forward, the technology will be further evaluated for a type certification.
Long-standing collaboration
Don Hoogendoorn, chief technology officer (CTO) of SolarDuck, commented, “A key step in making the technology bankable is obtaining certification of the technology. As long-standing partners, SolarDuck has cooperated closely together with Bureau Veritas to verify the technology for the harsh North Sea conditions, marking a significant milestone in the development of our offshore floating solar technology.”
Martijn Nieuwenhuijs, country chief executive of Bureau Veritas marine and offshore Netherlands, added, “The certification of SolarDuck’s prototype Merganser reflects the collaborative efforts between Bureau Veritas and industry innovators in advancing sustainable energy solutions. Our expertise in assessing structural integrity and conducting design evaluations played an important role in meeting technical standards, highlighting our commitment to fostering innovation while ensuring safety and reliability in offshore renewable energy projects.”
In related news, Horizon Europe’s Nautical Sunrise project has invested €6.8m (US$7.4m) in floating solar company SolarDuck’s €8.4m (US$9.1m) plans to design, build and showcase the world’s largest offshore floating solar (OFS) system. Click here to read the full story.