Norsk Hydro’s aluminium parts to constitute SolarDuck’s offshore solar plant, Malaysia

Norwegian aluminium producer, Hydro will offer engineering support, manufacturing, and delivery of its flagship aluminium components for the 780 kW SolarDuck offshore floating solar plant. The construction will take place off the Coast of Tioman Island in Malaysia and has been scheduled to be accomplished by 2025.

The Executive Vice President of Hydro Extrusions, Paul Warton, exclaimed: "Solar energy is part of the necessary shift to renewable energy. Extruded aluminium solutions are the perfect fit for such installations with their light weight and strength, and the fact that they require little or no maintenance.”

As early as 2021, Hydro had supplied its patented aluminium profiles for SolarDuck's pilot structure. Hydro extrusion plants in Lichtervelde, Belgium, and Magnor, Norway, will deliver energy for the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) project.

Due to the mild temperament of wind flow in Southeast Asia, wind energy-yielding becomes difficult. Moreover, land scarcity issues increasingly hinder large-scale solar developments on land in the region. Offshore floating solar solutions offer new opportunities for renewable energy generation in Malaysia and its neighbouring countries.

SolarDuck's CEO Koen Burgers thinks this partnership might be crucial for taking the first conscious steps toward a net-zero future for Malaysia. He believes that offshore floating solar solutions will emerge as the efficient most marine energy technology by 2030. The triangular shape of the offshore floating solar has been crafted especially so that it might surf above the waves like Aladdin’s magic carpet, while keeping the solar panels and electrical parts safe from drowning.

"Aluminium is our material of choice because of its strength-to-weight ratio and ability to withstand the corrosive offshore environment for the lifetime of the structure," added Burgers.

TNB is the biggest electricity provider in Malaysia, as well as a prominent Asian utility firm. It has a global presence in the United Kingdom, Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and India. Meanwhile, SolarDuck is a cleantech company based in the Netherlands and Norway. It specializes in offshore floating solar technology and seeks to bring 1 GW of renewable energy to the market by 2030.