This Floating 3-In-1 Renewable Energy Source Thrives At Sea

A floating renewable energy source might sound somewhat familiar, as the wall of wind turbines designed by Wind Catching Systems springs to mind. But instead of building upwards, this energy source is being built laying down.

German company SINN Power introduced its Ocean Hybrid Platform last year, a contraption that boasts the ability to tackle a trio of renewable energy sources all at once—wind, solar, wave—instead of just focusing on one.

The first platform, debuted at the end of April 2020, was located on the open sea near Iraklio, Greece. A press release at the time invited photovoltaic (PV) energy manufacturers to test their module on the platform, which was described as “an extremely robust, modular yet affordable maritime structure.”

Referring to other structures deployed in a similar area, the company recognizes that this type of technology, while working well in freshwater, might not translate so well into seawater. In an article posted on the firm’s website just this week, seawater-floating PV is called a “new market.”

SINN Power writes, “These systems are not safe against de facto any maritime location, not even in the Adriatic Sea, the Arabian Sea, or an enormous lake, due to the regular extreme events with high waves and/or wind.”

So the solution now comes in the form of SINN’s own flexible design, which boasts a more stable structure and the ability to accommodate wave heights of up to 12m (39.4ft). The skeleton of the structure, without any of the modular PV units installed, can apparently withstand wind speeds of up to 60m/s (134.2mph).

It was also noted by CleanTechnica that the structure could potentially ebb moveable. So, in case of a hurricane or other extreme weather, the platform can be moved toward safety rather than having to take on the tumultuous conditions.

Potential uses are, it seems, abundant. Some of these, according to CEO Dr Philipp Sinn, include “the complementation of offshore wind parks to increase baseload capacity, providing RE to aquacultures, the hydrogen production, or simply producing electricity for coastal areas, remote islands and many more.”

[via CleanTechnica, image via SINN Power]