Innovative Dutch-Norwegian startup SolarDuck secured a €15 million investment this month to scale up development of its unique offshore floating solar technology. The capital infusion comes from both existing and new backers, including impact fund Katapult Ocean and green energy investor Green Tower. It will rocket SolarDuck’s global growth as demand for renewable energy assets surges.
SolarDuck deploys patented platforms allowing solar panels to float atop bodies of water rather than occupy precious inland real estate. The company already has a project pipeline exceeding 3.5 gigawatts with floating solar farms underway across Asia and Europe. Installations can operate standalone over oceans, lakes, and reservoirs or pair with offshore wind farms for hybrid generation.
The flexibility unlocks immense potential for islands, coastal communities, and nations to sustainably meet electricity needs once served by fossil fuels. And SolarDuck intends to deliver 1 gigawatt of solar capacity from floating platforms by 2030 - displacing over 1 million tons of carbon emissions in the process.
The funding coincides with multiple milestones on the horizon. SolarDuck will switch on its inaugural demo project Merganser in Dutch waters this spring. Meanwhile, collaborations with European energy giants RWE and TNB Renewables underscore commercial viability. Significantly, RWE’s offshore wind site will eventually host the world’s largest hybrid floating solar installation at 5 megawatts.
Founder Koen Burgers appropriately stated: “We are delighted to have secured this latest round of funding. SolarDuck is introducing a new asset class of energy generation. With demand increasing, offshore floating solar offers real promise for the decarbonization of our energy supply.”
So as the company’s avian-inspired name suggests, SolarDuck’s flight toward mainstream adoption continues gaining altitude. And with the power of scalable technology plus thoughtful investors behind it, sunny days ahead seem all but guaranteed. The global clean energy transition needs precisely this kind of innovative spirit to take off.
Key Takeaways:
- SolarDuck raised €15M from new and existing investors
- Funding to accelerate floating solar technology growth
- Developing solar farms atop bodies of water around the world
- Project portfolio totals 3.5 gigawatts across Asia and Europe
- Collaborations underway with major energy companies
- Goal to deploy 1 gigawatt of capacity by 2030