Wind farm Hollandse Kust Noord has been fitted with a solar farm anchor system. This farm is the first offshore solar farm in the world to be constructed within an operational offshore wind farm.
Hollandse Kust Noord is a project of Crosswind, a joint venture of Shell and Eneco. As part of this project, Oceans of Energy supplied an anchor system for the solar farm it is realising here for Crosswind.
1,500 panels in harsh conditions
The solar farm is to consist of a total of 1,500 solar panels and cover a total area of one hectare. Located on a site with a water depth of 25 metres, it must withstand the harsh conditions of the North Sea. The system should be fully operational by the third quarter of this year.
Oceans of Energy was awarded the contract for the realisation of the solar farm in 2023. Following this, an extensive technical review was carried out. Here, Oceans of Energy's engineering and project management team mapped out how the park could be realised within the standards set by Shell and Eneco for the project.
The realisation of parts of the solar farm started in 2024. Since the third quarter of 2024, Oceans of Energy has been shipping solar farm components to Hollandse Kust Noord.
'Huge milestone'
"The installation of the anchor system is a huge milestone, as it marks the first offshore installation work for this pioneering project," says founder and CEO Allard van Hoeken. "This world's first offshore solar project within an offshore wind farm demonstrates the enormous potential of combining offshore solar and offshore wind power. This combination brings a more continuous flow of electricity ashore and means a potential increase in energy yield of up to 5 times, while using the same sea area."
Jeroen van Loon, Offshore Solar Project Manager, CrossWind: "The successful installation of the anchors marks an important milestone in the realisation of this pioneering offshore solar concept surrounded by the wind turbines of Hollandse Kust Noord. The reliability of the anchor system is crucial, not only for the safety and stability of the floating solar farm, but also to ensure that it functions seamlessly alongside the surrounding wind turbines. We are very pleased with the high-quality design, professional execution and strong safety culture demonstrated by Oceans of Energy during this phase."
Steve van Hulle, managing director Boskalis Marine Services, added: "This project was an exciting new venture in which we combined our offshore capabilities with a long track record of installing offshore wind infrastructure. We are delighted to have been able to contribute to the world first with the transportation and installation of the permanent mooring system for this offshore solar farm in the North Sea, together with Oceans of Energy. The project execution went smoothly with safety as a top priority, and the excellent performance of the Princess' captain and crew was crucial to the success of this project."
Sustainability is key
Sustainability plays an important role in the design of the solar farm. For example, the design deliberately left space open between solar panels so that sunlight can reach the water below. In part to support photosynthetic organisms in the sea such as plankton and seaweed. In addition, no floats were deliberately placed on some floats to create open and undisturbed areas. Oceans of Energy reports that seals, among others, use these floats as resting places.
Sustainability also plays an important role in material choices. For example, Oceans of Energy chooses environmentally friendly and non-toxic paint and rust protection. Also, most of the floats are produced from recycled material.
More information about the project can be found here.
Image: Thomas G. via Pixabay
