Imagine putting solar panels on the ocean, but the waves keep smashing them. This project builds a giant, floating concrete ring that acts like a shield, keeping the water inside calm so the panels stay safe. It uses a special eco-friendly concrete that doesn't harm the planet and can withstand massive storms.
Offshore solar panels are currently too fragile for the open ocean, where waves and wind destroy equipment and drive up insurance and maintenance costs.
A reduced-scale proof-of-concept breakwater (1m wide, 0.5m high, 2m long) and a predictive simulation tool for structural health.
If you are an offshore solar developer dealing with high wave heights over 14m — this project developed a circular concrete breakwater that protects panels from damage. This increases how often the system can generate power and lowers the risk of structural failure.
If you are a concrete manufacturer dealing with high CO2 emissions in marine projects — this project developed new circular concrete materials. These materials provide high durability and mechanical strength while maintaining a low carbon footprint.
If you are an installation firm dealing with the high cost of maintaining floating structures in harsh seas — this project developed structural health management and predictive modeling tools. This reduces the cost of operations and maintenance (OPEX) for floating energy arrays.
The project aims to reduce both CAPEX and OPEX through the use of predictive computational modeling and structural health management tools.
The project targets TRL5, meaning it moves from lab and basin testing toward marine environment testing for critical components to prove scalability.
Based on available project data, the project focuses on developing new circular concrete material solutions, but specific licensing terms are not disclosed.
It is designed for all European sea-basins, including areas with wind speeds over 25 m/s and currents over 1.2 m/s.
The project runs from October 2022 to September 2026, aiming to reach TRL5 by the end of the period.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring 7 partners across 4 countries. With an industry ratio of 43% (including 3 SMEs), there is a strong link between the 4 research entities and the actual market, ensuring that the technical developments in concrete and hydrodynamics are aligned with installation and O&M needs.
Contact SINTEF AS in Norway for technical specifications on the breakwater prototype.
Contact us to connect with the SUREWAVE consortium for licensing the circular concrete technology.
