SolarDuck-led trio plans 540-MW floating wind-solar park off Italy

Hybrid offshore floating wind-solar plant. Source: SolarDuck.

Dutch-Norwegian cleantech company SolarDuck and an Italian duo have joined forces to develop a 540-MW hybrid floating wind-solar farm in the Gulf of Taranto off the coast of Corigliano-Rossano in Calabria, they announced on Friday.

SolarDuck’s partners in this grid-scale project in Italy are local independent asset manager Green Arrow Capital and engineering services provider New Developments s.r.l. They plan to integrate a 420-MW floating wind farm made up of 28 turbines with a 120-MWp Offshore Floating Solar Photovoltaic (OFPV) park, which alone will generate more than 160 GWh of solar power per year.

A specialist in the OFPV technology, SolarDuck has developed an elevated platform that makes it possible to deploy PV panels in significant wave heights whilst maintaining a safe working environment for access and maintenance. The company will provide its technology for the Corigliano scheme.

At present, the project is undergoing the permitting process and is expected to reach its Commercial Operation Date (COD) in 2028. It is supported by the Green Arrow Infrastructure of the Future Fund (GAIF).

SolarDuck said in a press release that certain commitments have been made to further simplify authorisation procedures for offshore renewables in Italy. It pointed at the FER2 decree, which is soon expected to introduce mechanisms to promote renewable energy projects, including OFPV.