Offshore Floating Solar Energy: Hazitek Funding for Landatu Solar
Offshore floating solar is creating new opportunities for renewable energy generation at sea while reducing pressure on land use.
With the support of Evolution Europe throughout the application and management process, Landatu Solar secured €85,416.14 in funding through the Hazitek programme (2024–2025), co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
In this interview, Landatu Solar introduces SEAMOD, a modular marine photovoltaic solution designed for offshore environments, and discusses TECNALIA’s role in validating the concept, as well as Evolution Europe’s contribution to securing Hazitek funding.
1. What inspired Landatu Solar to take on the challenge of developing solar energy solutions for the marine environment?
At Landatu Solar, we have always worked with a clear idea in mind: to develop photovoltaic solutions that make better use of available space and accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable energy model. The marine environment represents a huge opportunity in this regard, as it helps reduce pressure on agricultural, industrial and urban land while opening up new possibilities for large-scale renewable energy generation.
SEAMOD was born precisely from this vision. We saw that floating photovoltaics were already proving their value in reservoirs, ponds and other inland bodies of water, but that the marine environment still presented major technical challenges. Our goal was to develop a solution capable of adapting to those conditions, especially waves, wind, corrosion and anchoring complexity, through a different approach: not trying to fight against the sea, but designing a structure capable of moving with it and absorbing its forces.
2. What makes the SEAMOD system unique compared to other floating solar energy technologies currently on the market?
SEAMOD stands out because of its structural concept. While many marine floating solar solutions are based on elevated, rigid and oversized metal structures designed to minimise the impact of waves, our proposal is based on a rectangular membrane reinforced around its perimeter, making it lighter, modular and flexible.
This geometry allows the structure to adapt more effectively to wave movement, distributing loads towards the outer frame in a more balanced way. In addition, compared to other membrane-based designs with circular shapes, the rectangular configuration improves key aspects such as transport, assembly, modularity and surface use.
The result is a solution with lower logistical complexity, strong potential for technical and economic efficiency, and a design intended to facilitate scaling in future nearshore and offshore installations.
3. What were the main technical challenges the team faced when designing a structure capable of withstanding marine conditions?
The main challenge was designing a structure capable of operating in an environment that is far more demanding than an inland body of water. At sea, loads are dynamic and variable: waves, wind, currents, corrosion and the forces acting on anchoring systems require a complete rethink of the design.
One of the most important challenges was finding the right balance between flexibility and resistance. The structure had to be flexible enough to adapt to the movement of the water, while at the same time maintaining the stability required to support the solar panels and ensure safe structural performance.
It was also essential to simplify the system from a construction and logistics perspective. SEAMOD had to be easy to transport, assemble and scale efficiently. That is why the design is based on a combination of membrane, tensioned mesh and outer frame, with the aim of reducing weight, complexity and installation time without compromising the reliability of the overall system.
4. How did the collaboration with TECNALIA contribute to validating and improving the SEAMOD concept?
The collaboration with TECNALIA has been very important in assessing the concept from an external and specialised technical perspective. In a project of this nature, it is not enough to develop an innovative idea: it is necessary to validate it, analyse its behaviour and identify potential improvements before moving towards larger-scale phases.
TECNALIA contributed technical knowledge and analytical capabilities to evaluate the structural performance of the system, helping to strengthen the technological foundation of the project. This collaboration made it possible to review design assumptions, interpret the behaviour of the prototype and guide the evolution of SEAMOD towards a more robust solution, better prepared for future operating environments.
For Landatu Solar, working with a leading technology centre has been a key factor in advancing with greater rigour and confidence in the development of a technology that aims to open new opportunities in an emerging field such as marine photovoltaics.
5. What impact has this funding had, or will it have, on the next phases of the project?
The funding obtained through the Hazitek programme has been a key boost for advancing the validation of SEAMOD. Thanks to this support, Landatu Solar has been able to develop and validate a 12 x 12 metre pilot prototype at the Port of Bilbao, with a 6.6 kW photovoltaic installation composed of 12 panels of 550 W on a membrane of approximately 100 m².
This phase has made it possible to test the structural behaviour of the concept, extract technical learnings and strengthen the foundations of the project ahead of the next stages. In addition, the validation of the pilot marks a turning point: SEAMOD has moved from being a conceptual development to a technology with a first physical demonstration under representative conditions.
From here, the funding helps prepare the way for new phases of development, optimisation, industrial scaling and investment search, with the aim of bringing the solution closer to real applications in marine environments.
6. Looking ahead, what role do you believe SEAMOD will play in the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy?
We believe SEAMOD can play an important role in the future of offshore solar energy. The energy transition requires new solutions capable of generating clean energy without competing intensively for available land, and the sea offers enormous potential that has yet to be fully developed.
SEAMOD could also be particularly interesting in scenarios involving hybridisation with other marine renewable technologies, such as offshore wind. The combination of floating solar and offshore wind would make it possible to make better use of existing infrastructure, diversify generation and move towards more efficient, resilient and sustainable renewable energy parks.
Our vision is for SEAMOD to contribute to opening a new pathway for photovoltaics in marine environments, offering a modular, scalable and easier-to-install solution. The pilot validated at the Port of Bilbao is only the first step for a technology that aims to become part of the future of renewable energy generation at sea.
7. How did Evolution Europe’s support help in securing the Hazitek grant, and what was your experience working with the consultancy?
Evolution Europe’s support was highly valuable throughout the process of preparing and securing the Hazitek grant. In R&D projects such as SEAMOD, it is essential to present not only an innovative idea, but also a well-structured technical proposal, with clear objectives, defined phases and a strong justification of its technological and business impact.
Evolution Europe helped us structure and strengthen the project report, align the proposal with the programme’s criteria and manage the process with a strategic vision. Their support allowed us to focus on the technical development of SEAMOD, while also having expert guidance on the administrative, documentary and public funding aspects.
The experience was very positive, especially because of their ability to understand the innovative nature of the project and communicate it clearly and professionally within the framework of the call.
