The government of the Netherlands plans to develop an offshore seaweed farm in the North Sea into a large solar power farm to supply energy to the Dutch mainland.
The project comes at a critical time for the Netherlands, which is struggling to curb fossil fuel use and meet greenhouse gas emission targets after years of underinvestment in renewable energy sources, according to media outlets.
Utrecht University will examine energy production at the offshore prototype.
“In addition to removing the problem of a land shortage, there are several other benefits to building at sea, similar to those in wind energy,” said Wilfried van Sark at Utrecht University, a solar energy expert who is involved in the project. “There is more sun at sea and there is the added benefit of a cooling system for the panels, which boosts output by up to 15 percent.”