As part of our commitment to sustainable innovation at sea, Oceans of Energy has successfully completed a comprehensive environmental baseline study for the HKN1 offshore solar project. Conducted in partnership with NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Rijkswaterstaat, this field campaign marks an important step toward the installation of the world’s first offshore solar farm within an operational wind farm.

Over five days of intensive fieldwork in the Dutch North Sea, the study team:

• Mapped the seabed using multibeam sonar

• Collected sediment samples through box coring

• Acquired water samples for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis

These efforts provide critical insights into the marine environment prior to installation, ensuring that the HKN1 project progresses with a deep understanding of the ecosystem in which it will operate.

Why is this important? Because our mission is to generate clean energy in harmony with nature. Environmental monitoring and research are not just requirements—they are central to how we design and deliver offshore solar solutions that contribute positively to the marine environment and the broader blue economy.

The HKN1 project, developed in collaboration with CrossWind, will be the first offshore solar farm to be integrated within an offshore wind farm, located at Hollandse Kust Noord in the Dutch North Sea.

This baseline study was made possible with support from the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth (Ministerie van Klimaat en Groene Groei). We are grateful to our partners and collaborators for their contributions to this important phase of the project.

Stay tuned for further updates as we continue to lead the way in offshore renewable energy.