The solar farm was assembled in three days using prefabricated floating units designed for offshore conditions. Oceans of Energy highlights that this project advances the development of hybrid wind-solar systems, optimizing renewable energy production. A ceremony at the Port of Amsterdam marked the completion of the assembly and the naming of the platform Nymphaea Aurora.
Maria Kalogera, Innovations Manager at CrossWind, stated: “The innovation program of the Hollandse Kust Noord wind farm paves the way for key technologies that may further enhance offshore wind projects. The offshore solar scope is an exciting innovation that can contribute to more renewable energy production from the same site.”
The Nymphaea Aurora, named after the water lily, floats at sea level, minimizing material use while enabling large-scale deployment. Allard van Hoeken, Founder & CEO of Oceans of Energy, explained: “The Oceans of Energy offshore solar farm floats in the sea at water level, like a waterlily, therefore we have named it ‘Nymphaea Aurora’. Nymphaea is the family name for water lilies, which are nature’s solar collectors, floating at water-level, just like our technology. Large scale water-level offshore structures is something novel, it is the key innovation for technological and economical breakthrough of offshore solar worldwide. It allows scaling up to large sizes, with minimum material usage. Just like waterlilies can do.”
The Dutch Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth is observing the project to evaluate the potential of combining offshore solar and wind energy to reduce emissions and foster industrial growth. Rogier van Tooren, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Enterprise Department, noted: “The Netherlands is a frontrunner in offshore solar energy. Thanks to its unique combination of maritime expertise, innovative strength, and public-private partnerships, Dutch companies like Oceans of Energy are the first to bring groundbreaking technologies like offshore solar to open sea. This project not only marks a world first but also represents significant export potential. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are committed to strengthening and expanding our leading position internationally.”
Dorine Bosman, Chief Investment Officer at the Port of Amsterdam, added: “The Port of Amsterdam is proud to host innovations which have the potential to accelerate the energy transition, such as the Oceans of Energy floating solar concept. We are happy to see the project now move towards offshore production, as the next step towards industrial scale production.”
The HKN wind farm, with a 759 MW capacity, is expected to produce at least 3.3 TWh of clean energy annually. Oceans of Energy secured the contract in April 2023, with initial floating units delivered in October 2024. By May 2025, the dynamic subsea export cable was tested, and offshore anchoring was completed, paving the way for installation.
