Combining offshore wind with wave and floating solar energy (EU-SCORES project)

Offshore wind is a cornerstone of our energy transition. However, the amount of electricity per km² produced in wind farms is limited due to wind-shadowing effects (wake-effect). Moreover, wind farms do not produce electricity during low wind conditions and the price of offshore wind during peak production times can decrease with more wind farms being built. To further increase and balance the electricity output of offshore wind farms, an innovative concept of co-locating wind turbines with offshore solar PV panels and/or wave energy converters will be investigated. 

Offshore energy plays a significant role in the European energy transition. Clear targets for 220 - 440 GW of wind power and 40 GW of marine energy in the EU waters by 2050 have been set within the recently published EU Offshore Energy Strategy. This positive development towards higher sustainability comes with the limitation of space which is shared use with other stakeholders (e.g. environmental, shipping, aquaculture) and the building of expensive infrastructure such as sub-stations and underwater cables     . 

Offshore floating solar devices and wave energy devices are complementary with the energy profile of wind turbines depending on the location of deployment. They can be integrated in wind farms (floating or bottom fixed) increasing the electricity output per km² significantly. The project EU-SCORES will demonstrate and de-risk a 3 MW floating offshore solar PV installation in Belgium combined with bottom fixed wind as well as a 1.2 MW wave installation combined with floating wind  in Portugal. The project includes the construction and planning of the needed infrastructure for such a combined energy park as well as the business case supporting its bankability.