In 2024, Oceans of Energy deployed our NS3 (North Sea 3) offshore solar farm to test it off the Belgian coast, as part of the EU-SCORES project. European Scalable Offshore Renewable Energy Sources is a €45 million marine energy program, including offshore solar, wave, and wind, to pave the way for bankable hybrid offshore parks across Europe by 2025.
The demonstrations in EU-SCORES – the offshore solar PV system by Oceans of Energy off the Belgian coast, and the wave energy system array by CorPower Ocean in Portugal – aim to showcase the benefits of continuous power output by harnessing complementary power sources including wind, sun, and waves. This hybrid approach creates a more resilient and stable power system, higher capacity factors, and a lower total cost per MWh.
Project Summary
Project name: North Sea Three (NS3)
Location Primary Testing Activities: Port of Oostende, Belgium
Commissioning: 2024
Client / Program: EU-SCORES (Horizon 2020, supported by CINEA)
Assembly time: <1 day (in-port assembly)
Technology lead: Oceans of Energy
First International Experiences
After over four years of successful offshore operations in the Netherlands (NS1 and NS2), NS3 marks Oceans of Energy’s first deployment in Belgian waters — and a major step in scaling offshore solar internationally. Built with a modular, standardized, and scalable design, the system was assembled in-port in under one day by Oceans of Energy’s in-house team. The floating structure moves naturally with wave motion and uses the water’s surface to carry its weight: a design inspired by waterlilies.
The NS3 farm was assembled in under half a day. This level of efficiency is unique in offshore construction.
This rapid deployment method is a key advantage of Oceans of Energy’s system and supports the vision of scaling offshore solar to 200 MW+ formats.
The full-scale demonstrations prove how the increased power output and capacity installed per km² will reduce the amount of marine space needed, thereby leaving more room for aquaculture, fisheries, shipping routes, and environmentally protected zones. Additional benefits achieved by co-using critical electrical infrastructures and exploring advanced operation and maintenance methodologies supported by innovative autonomous systems should lower the costs per MWh. Moreover, the project demonstrations will support the stability and resilience of the European energy system, while considering sustainability, local stakeholders, and existing ecosystems.
Supporting Belgium’s Energy Future and Europe’s Hybrid Vision
With limited sea space and ambitious energy goals, Belgium is well-positioned to benefit from offshore solar. NS3 demonstrates that standalone floating solar can be deployed quickly, safely, and with minimal impact, offering a scalable model for future Belgian projects. It also supports Europe’s broader move toward hybrid offshore energy parks, where solar, wind, and wave technologies work together to increase energy yield, grid resilience, and efficient use of marine space.
Part of EU-SCORES Innovation Program
NS3 is part of the European SCalable Offshore Renewable Energy Sources (EU-SCORES) project, a major Horizon 2020 initiative funded by the European Commission. The program aims to pave the way for scalable, bankable hybrid offshore energy parks across Europe by combining solar, wind, and wave energy.
Oceans of Energy is proud to collaborate with a strong consortium of partners, including POM West-Vlaanderen, DMEC, CorPower Ocean, TU Delft, SBM Offshore, RWE Renewables, Uppsala University, LUT, Enel Green Power, RINA, INNOSEA, EDP Labelec, WavEC, INESC TEC, Exceedence, and Western Star Wave.
With the implementation of the NS3 system, we made another step towards building the future of offshore renewable energy.
Built for Nature
The NS3 system is developed with environmental responsibility at its core. Consistent with Oceans of Energy’s design philosophy, the system includes:
- Recycled materials and marine-safe, non-toxic coatings
- No use of anti-fouling paints
- Open panel spacing, allowing sunlight to reach marine life below
- Resting zones for marine wildlife, such as seals, on panel-free floaters
This nature-inclusive design is essential for ensuring that the expansion of offshore renewable energy can coexist with sensitive marine ecosystems.
Interested in working with us?
NS3 is just one of the offshore solar projects we are building to scale renewable energy at sea. If you’re looking to integrate offshore solar into your marine energy plans, whether as a standalone farm or part of a future hybrid energy zone, we would be be excited to collaborate.