Norway’s Fred Olsen is entering the rapidly developing offshore solar sector with a “radically simple” system that can withstand the tremendous challenges experienced by PV at sea while keeping costs low and giving significant sustainability benefits.
Fred Olsen 1848, a Bonheur company, has announced a new patented technology for near- and offshore floating solar arrays to withstand wave and wind loads.
The Bolette device distributes forces to the mooring system by allowing the PV modules to move freely and independently within a rope mesh.
According to the company, Bolette is constructed with an integrated solution for operation and maintenance, and the final tank test was successful.
The Norwegian group’s innovation arm, Fred Olsen 1848, which is also involved in floating wind, intends to deploy a 150kW pilot of its Bolette ocean-going solar system this summer, with a first 3MW commercial unit scheduled for next year and larger projects beginning in 2025.[1]
“Bolette is designed in a very cost-efficient manner to follow the motion of the ocean, even in offshore conditions. We believe Bolette’s simplicity is a game-changer to unlock the potential of floating solar,” said Sofie Olsen Jebsen, CEO of Fred. Olsen 1848.
Fred. Olsen 1848 further stated that Bolette is flexible, can be adapted to unique projects, and all components are marked and easily recyclable after decommissioning.
Furthermore, with sustainability in mind, all components are marked and can be recycled after decommissioning.
References
- Fred. Olsen 1848, ‘Introducing Bolette – the Technology to Unlock the Potential of Near and Offshore Floating Solar,’ Fred. Olsen 1848, 20 June 2023, https://www.fredolsen1848.com/news/introducing-bolette-the-technology-to-unlock-the-potential-of-near-and-offshore-floating-solar/[↩]
