5 more buoys deployed!

The pace of offshore wind development in China is truly remarkable, with GWEC reporting that it accounted for 80% of the offshore capacity worldwide in 2021 and cumulative offshore wind installations reaching 27.7GW. 2022 shows no signs of slowing down and we’re excited to contribute with 5 new buoys deployed in the East and South China Seas. This brings our total deployed fleet now to 14 buoys, with more on the way this summer!

These are some of the first buoys to be deployed with important design updates to improve the reliability of our solar panel system. In particular, the new design incorporates multiple smaller panels working in tandem, rather than a bulky large panel with an equivalent output. Doing so allows the panels to be installed at the factory – before inland transportation – and saves valuable time during the assembly process once at the port. On top of that, the newly decentralized system reduces the consequences of a single panel failure and a complementary panel arrangement minimizes shadows that might otherwise inhibit charging. In our most recent deployments in the South China Sea, these improvements have allowed 100% of the FLiDAR’s energy needs to be supplied by solar and wind!

It’s great to see our team’s commitment to continuous improvement having a positive impact on our technology and our clients as the updates make their way into our commercial projects. Keep an eye out for our new design out on the water!