Researchers from Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer have completed the first environmental sampling mission for the French renewable energy company Solarin Blue’s Méga Sète offshore floating solar project.
According to SolarinBlue, the assessment, carried out off the coast of the Port de Sète, aims to analyze abiotic parameters and biodiversity around the floating solar structure, study biofouling colonization and fish recruitment, and evaluate the ecotoxicological effects of the materials used.
“Another important milestone marking our commitment to environmental monitoring and impact mitigation, ensuring that offshore solar can be deployed in harmony with marine ecosystems,” said SolarinBlue in a social media post.
Méga Sète will cover one hectare and is expected to produce over 1,300 MWh annually, with electricity being transported via a submarine cable to the port of Sète-Frontignan, supporting its strategy to decarbonize energy consumption, SolarinBlue said.
The company’s technology is compatible with fixed and floating offshore wind farms, allowing shared connections to reduce infrastructure costs and increase renewable electricity production at the same site.
Just recently, SolarinBlue completed a geotechnical survey and anchor traction tests for its 1 MW offshore solar project, Méga Sète, supported by France 2030.