Oceans of Energy receives Approval in Principle from Bureau Veritas for their high wave offshore solar farm system

A world’s first Approval in Principle of a high wave offshore solar farm system design

Paris La Défense (France) and Leiden (Netherlands), 10 January 2023 – Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification, has delivered an Approval in Principle to Oceans of Energy, a market leader in offshore solar farms, for their system design of a high wave offshore solar farm system.

 The Oceans of Energy’s offshore solar farm system is the world’s first offshore solar farm proven in high waves, operating in the North Sea since 2019. This system is modular, scalable to any size.

The farm currently installed has a size of 0,5 MW. It has a unique design: rather than heavy structures above sea, which are normally used for offshore technology, the offshore solar farm system is lightweight. It uses the sea surface directly as support, like a waterlily resting on the water surface. In order to withstand high waves and rough seas, it uses an innovative system combining rigid and flexible structures that allows it to ride on waves.

Such a novel system had not been used before in offshore high wave application, nevertheless the system has recently entered its 4^th year of successful operation in high waves. Since its deployment, the system has withstood many heavy storms, with waves up to 9.9 meters high. The system was successfully basin-tested with 13 meter high waves. Over the last couple of years, Oceans of Energy has worked closely with Bureau Veritas on the Approval in Principle of their offshore solar farm system.

The Approval in Principle includes all aspects and products needed for the production of an Offshore Solar Farm system. This includes Oceans of Energy’s design base, the designed floaters, the mounting of the solar panels, scale model testing reports and mooring system design. The rough North Sea conditions were used in the reviewed tests on the system and load cases determined all the structural calculations that had to be fulfilled.

Image: Oceans of Energy’s Offshore Solar Farm system in August 2020 at the Dutch North Sea

“Oceans of Energy is very proud to receive this Approval in Principle as we realize it is a testimony of sound engineering, a feasible and sound concept choice and a recognition as a leading technology with a promising future,” said Allard van Hoeken, founder and CEO of Oceans of Energy. “It is of great reassurance to our stakeholders that the design of the floating farm and mooring system have been reviewed and approved by Bureau Veritas.”

Laurent Leblanc, Senior Vice President Technical & Operations at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, commented: “We have extensive experience in the marine and offshore market that help us to provide relevant and efficient support to pioneers such as Oceans of Energy. Our mission of “shaping a better maritime world” is all about enabling these innovative solutions that support society’s new demands and aspirations. We would like to congratulate Oceans of Energy for this AiP and we look forward to collaborating on the next steps of their venture.”

Parties have received funding by the European Union program for interregional cooperation INTERREG 2SEAS and the Province of South Holland in the ENCORE project

About Oceans of Energy

Oceans of Energy is the company that brought Offshore Solar in high waves from a (perceived) impossibility to a reality. The Dutch company is market leader in offshore solar farms and the associated environmental research. The company was founded in 2016 and has since grown to thirty-five employees. The company has so far raised €15 million to scale up production and projects. Projects are amongst others supported by RVO, MIT-Zuid-Holland, REACT EU, INTERREG, and Horizon-2020 programs.

About Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 80,000 employees located in nearly 1,600 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its 400,000 clients improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.
Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the CAC 40 ESG, CAC Next 20 and SBF 120 indices.
Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.
For more information, visit www.bureauveritas.com, and follow us on Twitter (@bureauveritas) and LinkedIn.

For more information:
Oceans of Energy
Ariane van Hoeken
ariane@oceansofenergy.blue
+31 6 48 65 09 37

Bureau Veritas
Nicholas Brown
+33 (0) 6 04 91 72 41
nicholas.brown@bureauveritas.com
Alexandra Beverley
+33 (0) 6 37 67 46 84
alexandra.beverley@bureauveritas.com