This country is home to some interesting events, such as the annual Nobel Peace Prize giving. When it comes to the Winter Olympics, this country does not hold back, boasting the record for the most gold, silver, and bronze medals won. Now, it also homes a floating colossus farm with 500 units producing energy at sea like never before. This marks the country’s step forward into a future of clean, sustainable power, leaving the traditional approaches to renewable power production behind.

The traditional approach for renewable energy production is not as advantageous

According to Civil Engineering Explained, certain regions experience environmental and geographic challenges when it comes to traditional solar energy. Large-scale solar farms require significant land, which can cause friction with existing uses such as agriculture. Land clearing and altered drainage also result in habitat destruction and inevitably disrupt local ecosystems.

Traditional wind farms in this country face challenges such as visual and noise pollution, wildlife impact, and intermittency, as per a YouTube discussion by Undecided with Matt Ferrel. This is why experts in the country have turned to the sea for power, but not to offshore wind, as some would think. It floats and is powerful, and its advantages are something else.

This country is looking to the sea for power

They say it takes a village. The partnership between Moss Maritime and DNV has led to the successful installation of an offshore platform in the high seas. DNV, a risk management firm, has investigated how to “reduce errors, deficiencies, and weaknesses” in the installation of the offshore platform, as part of the 31-page document that indicates how wind, waves, and currents impact offshore installations.

Offshore wind turbines are beneficial, but some believe offshore wind can cause a strange behaviour in whales, which is one of the reasons Moss Maritime is looking to the sea for a different power. Both Moss Maritime and DNV are based in Norway, and the country’s high seas will now feature Moss Maritime’s innovative Xolarsurf, a floating, sun-capturing platform.

According to Interesting Engineering, it will supply the aquaculture industry with much-needed energy and the capability to produce energy far from shore. Its mass-production capability will make the use of solar technologies much easier, as well as their adoption. The current 500 solar panel units have a total capacity of 35 to 45 kW.

Offshore solar for the win in Norway

“Compared to floating wind turbines, floating solar power technology is simpler, engineering costs are lower, and structures are easier to build. Floating solar power is also well-suited for mass production, which will have a positive impact on price and deployment.” – Moss Maritime Engineering Vice President Alexander Minge Thøgersen

Thanks to the “instruction guide” from DNV, Moss Maritime was able to utilize the best methods to place its sun-catching platforms in open water, taking up no land. XolarSurf’s modular design also increases its flexibility, as it enables relocation, transport, and reuse. According to TCD, the 968,000-square-foot floating solar array can operate in harsh conditions, such as waves up to 26 feet, thanks to its flexible frame that absorbs wave contact while the unit continues to generate sustainable solar energy.

As Moss Maritime’s pilot installation is being tested near the island of Frøya in Norway, it could open new doors as a scalable solution for rough waters and result in the rise of more floating solar farms in similar environments. This renewable energy technology will revolutionize the solar industry, as the need for land is eliminated, decreasing habitat loss and conflict with other sectors. Floating solar energy can be a pioneer in the world’s energy transition, promising an eco-friendly and economical future.

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