Internship: Maximizing Offshore Energy - GIS-Driven Co-Location of Offshore Solar and Wind in Dutch North Sea Waters

This student project explores the potential for integrating offshore solar energy generation within existing and planned wind parks in the Netherlands, utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify optimal sites for co-location. Offshore solar is of particular importance for the Netherlands, as it addresses the spatial conflicts associated with land-based renewable energy systems; it fits seamlessly within the space of offshore wind farms, making use of the area between wind turbines and reducing the need for additional space. The project will leverage GIS tools to analyze spatial data, including wind farm locations, all current uses and infrastructure, but also environmental settings such as the metocean conditions, benthic habitats and the anticipated cumulative marine impacts of co-located wind+solar farms to determine the best locations for future large scale offshore solar deployment. The study will also need to address uncertainties in available data, employing techniques such as sensitivity analysis to ensure reliable results. The findings will contribute to maximizing the efficiency of offshore renewable energy installations, promoting multi-use of the sea space, and enhancing the integration of solar and wind energy to align with the Netherlands' renewable energy goals. Ultimately, it is intended to serve as useful information to policy makers including those at the Ministry of I&W who oversees the marine spatial planning of the Dutch North Sea.

Activities involve:

• Data Collection & Analysis: collect relevant datasets; investigate potential constraints
• GIS Modeling & Spatial Analysis: Use GIS software to perform spatial analysis by overlaying and combining multiple datasets\
• Uncertainty Analysis: Address uncertainties inherent in spatial data and model, as well as environmental uncertainties; Apply uncertainty analysis techniques, such as Monte Carlo simulations or sensitivity analysis, to assess how different assumptions may affect the optimal locations for offshore solar deployment
• Optimization & Site Selection: Develop a method for optimizing the placement of offshore solar systems within wind farms
• Reporting & Recommendations: compile findings in a detailed report, including GIS maps and analysis of potential offshore solar sites, with a focus on integrating solar energy into wind farms; provide recommendations

About Oceans of Energy

Oceans of Energy is a young, passionate and fast-growing company. We installed the world’s first offshore solar farm in 2019 and have been operating it successfully in North Sea offshore conditions. It is our aim to enable the world to generate clean energy from the abundance of space at sea, instead of scarce land in densely populated coastal regions. Together with knowledge institutes, NGO’s and universities, we assess the impact on nature and marine life as well as to explore nature-enhancing opportunities around offshore solar. We are currently delivering a commercial project for the Hollandse Kust Noord project in The Netherlands, and we have a funnel of opportunities in North Sea and Mediterranean Sea locations.