TKI Wind op Zee opens innovation call for floating solar energy

TKI Wind op Zee, in collaboration with TKI Urban Energy, has launched an open innovation call to support organizations in exploring innovations and research in floating solar energy.

The call is launched from the PPP program allowance budget, a subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate to stimulate public-private partnership projects.

According to the Mission Oriented Innovation Program (MMIP1) and the Solar on Water Roadmap of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, large-scale application of solar energy in the North Sea could be possible in ten to 20 years. However, there are concerns about the costs, the challenges of the harsh maritime environment in the Dutch North Sea and the impact on the ecology.

Therefore, TKI Wind op Zee aims to support projects focused on the lifespan of the systems and the development of the costs of large-scale electricity generation based on offshore solar energy.

Under this call, the total subsidy budget amounts to €300,000 and interested parties can apply for the maximum subsidy of €100,000 per project.

Topics of the eligible projects cover cost reduction in systems, anchoring, transport, installation, and maintenance, technical life in offshore conditions, and the integration of solar-at-sea systems.

The call closes on 15 December 2021, while the project timeline has been set from 31 January 2022 to 1 March 2023.