HELIOREC Secures €496,575 in European Union Funding to Accelerate the Future of Coastal Floating Solar

Introduction

HelioRec is proud to announce that its HELIOMAR research and development project has been awarded €496,575 in funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) under the Pays de la Loire Regional Programme 2021–2027.

With a total project budget of €1.1 million, HELIOMAR will accelerate the development of a new generation of floating solar technology specifically designed for coastal and nearshore waters - one of the fastest-growing yet least developed segments of the global renewable energy market.

The European Union's contribution represents 45% of the project's eligible costs, demonstrating strong confidence in both the technology and its potential to contribute to Europe's energy transition.

For HelioRec, this funding is far more than financial support. It is recognition that innovative European companies can play a leading role in developing the technologies needed to build a cleaner, more resilient, and more energy-independent future.

The Challenge: Where Will Tomorrow's Solar Power Be Installed?

Across Europe, demand for renewable electricity continues to grow rapidly. Governments, ports, industries, and communities are investing heavily in solar power to reduce carbon emissions and strengthen energy security.

However, one challenge is becoming increasingly apparent: space.

Large ground-mounted solar farms require significant areas of land that are often already used for agriculture, industry, or housing. Rooftops alone cannot provide enough capacity to meet Europe's long-term electricity needs.

Meanwhile, thousands of hectares of sheltered coastal waters, ports, harbours and industrial basins remain largely unused.

Floating solar offers a compelling solution by transforming these underutilised water surfaces into clean electricity generators without consuming valuable land.

While floating solar has expanded rapidly on calm lakes and reservoirs, deploying these systems in marine environments presents a completely different engineering challenge.

Saltwater, waves, tides, currents, storms and corrosion require entirely new technologies.

This is exactly the challenge HelioRec was created to solve.

Introducing HELIOMAR

HELIOMAR is HelioRec's flagship research and development programme dedicated to creating the next generation of coastal floating solar power plants.

At the centre of the project is W300A, an innovative floating platform engineered specifically for demanding marine environments.

Unlike conventional floating solar systems, W300A is designed to withstand:

• waves up to 4 metres

• winds up to 200 km/h

• dynamic tidal conditions

• strong marine currents

• long-term exposure to saltwater

These capabilities open entirely new opportunities for renewable electricity generation in ports, coastal industrial zones, protected bays and nearshore environments where traditional floating solar technologies cannot operate reliably.

Why This Matters

Europe has committed to achieving climate neutrality while reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Achieving these goals requires not only installing more renewable energy but also developing technologies that can be manufactured, deployed and maintained within Europe.

The HELIOMAR project addresses several strategic challenges simultaneously.

It will:

• unlock new areas for solar energy production;

• preserve agricultural land by avoiding ground installations;

• strengthen European industrial know-how;

• create highly skilled engineering jobs;

• support regional economic development;

• accelerate the transition toward low-carbon electricity.

The project aligns with the European Union's objective of supporting breakthrough research and innovation capable of delivering long-term economic and environmental benefits.

What Will Be Developed?

Over the next two years, HelioRec's engineering team will carry out an extensive research programme covering every critical aspect of coastal floating solar technology.

Advanced Floating Platform Engineering

The W300A platform will undergo further mechanical and hydrodynamic optimisation to improve structural strength while reducing manufacturing complexity and installation costs.

Using advanced numerical simulations and engineering analysis, the team will optimise the platform for industrial-scale production without compromising reliability.

Smarter Mooring Systems

Keeping large floating solar power plants securely anchored in changing marine conditions is one of the industry's biggest engineering challenges.

HELIOMAR will investigate innovative mooring concepts designed to simplify installation while increasing long-term reliability under waves, tides and corrosion.

Marine Electrical Systems

Electricity generated offshore must travel safely to shore.

The project includes the development of electrical cable management systems adapted specifically for marine environments, together with monitoring sensors that continuously assess structural and electrical performance.

These technologies will improve both operational safety and predictive maintenance.

Laboratory Validation

Every new design must be validated before entering commercial service.

The project therefore includes extensive laboratory testing covering:

• mechanical strength;

• fatigue resistance;

• UV durability;

• salt spray resistance;

• aerodynamic behaviour;

• hydrodynamic performance in wave tanks.

These tests ensure that every component performs reliably under demanding real-world conditions.

Real-World Demonstration

Engineering simulations are only one part of the story.

HELIOMAR will culminate in the deployment of a coastal demonstrator in the Pays de la Loire region.

Operating under real marine conditions, the demonstrator will allow engineers to evaluate:

• structural behaviour;

• electrical performance;

• operational reliability;

• environmental interactions.

The project also includes a comprehensive environmental assessment covering water quality, sediments, biodiversity and ecosystem impacts, ensuring that renewable energy development remains compatible with environmental protection.

Building the Future of European Floating Solar

One of HELIOMAR's most important objectives extends beyond research itself.

The project is designed to prepare the W300A technology for industrial manufacturing.

By simplifying production, reducing the number of components and optimising logistics, HelioRec aims to make coastal floating solar both technically robust and economically competitive.

Industrialisation is a critical step toward large-scale deployment across Europe.

As demand for renewable electricity grows, manufacturing capacity and technological independence will become increasingly important.

Projects like HELIOMAR help ensure that European innovation is transformed into European industry.

Innovation with Sustainability at Its Core

Environmental responsibility has guided HELIOMAR from the beginning.

The project contributes to sustainable development by:

• producing renewable electricity without consuming valuable land;

• supporting the use of recyclable and durable materials;

• encouraging circular economy principles;

• reducing greenhouse gas emissions;

• protecting marine ecosystems through rigorous environmental monitoring.

Rather than competing with agriculture or urban development, coastal floating solar allows clean energy infrastructure to coexist with existing land uses while making productive use of underutilised water surfaces.

This balanced approach reflects HelioRec's commitment to combining engineering excellence with environmental stewardship.

A Strong Vote of Confidence

Receiving support through the European Regional Development Fund represents an important milestone in HelioRec's journey.

Since its creation, the company has focused on solving one of renewable energy's most challenging engineering problems: enabling floating solar power to move beyond sheltered lakes and into demanding coastal environments.

The selection of HELIOMAR confirms that the European Union and the Pays de la Loire Region recognise both the technical ambition of the project and its potential contribution to Europe's clean energy future.

This funding enables HelioRec to accelerate research, strengthen partnerships, prepare its technology for industrial deployment and continue building a European leader in coastal floating solar innovation.

Looking Ahead

Over the coming months, the HELIOMAR team will begin an ambitious programme of engineering development, laboratory testing, environmental assessment and real-world validation.

Each milestone will bring HelioRec one step closer to delivering commercially deployable floating solar systems capable of generating clean electricity where conventional solar technologies cannot.

As Europe continues its transition toward renewable energy, coastal waters may become one of the continent's next great sources of sustainable power.

HelioRec is proud to help make that future possible.

Acknowledgement

The HELIOMAR project is co-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) under the Pays de la Loire Regional Programme 2021-2027. The project has received €496,575 in FEDER funding, representing 45% of the project's eligible costs. HelioRec gratefully acknowledges the support of the European Union and the Région Pays de la Loire in accelerating innovation for a more sustainable energy future.  

HelioRec designs, manufactures, and deploys floating solar systems for both inland and marine nearshore environments. To discuss whether floating solar is suited to your site, *contact us