SolarMarine Energy

What SolarMarine Energy does

SolarMarine Energy Ltd is an Ireland-based private company (founded 2016; Ballina registered) that designs, engineers, and supplies floating photovoltaic (FPV) hardware for inshore and offshore deployment. The company is led by a core team of marine, electrical, and structural engineers with over 80 years of combined experience from offshore oil & gas, wind farm, and wave energy projects, complemented by technical advisors including Professor Marco Rosa-Clot (author of two Academic Press books on FPV) and Professor Trevor Whittaker (FREng, formerly of Queen's University Belfast). Its customer base is enterprise-led and segmented across reservoirs/water treatment, ports and harbours, hydroelectric and pumped-storage facilities, nearshore fish farms, state authorities on flood plains, and flooded mining pits.

The company's core technology is a site-specific floating PV platform delivered for both inshore and offshore conditions. The proprietary FPV design claims a power density of 0.26 kWp/m2 (30% above the reported industry average of 0.18 kWp/m2), requires approximately 25% less water area per MW installed than competing FPV designs, and incorporates a wind/wave/snow load-shedding configuration intended to reduce mooring complexity. The structure is engineered for substantial offshore wave heights and is positioned for potential co-location with offshore wind farms; additional features target low-light capture for markets with low Direct Horizontal Radiation. The company has registered its own IP for the floating solar structures.

SolarMarine operates an enterprise field-sales go-to-market, engaging directly with state authorities, port operators, water utilities, and mining companies on custom engineering projects that frequently require NDAs. Revenue is generated from three streams: floating PV hardware sales, hybrid marine energy plant solutions, and engineering consultancy services (site assessments, feasibility studies, tank testing, numerical modelling, wind-loading and mooring studies). Pricing is project-based and not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held with 1-10 employees, has won the 2017 Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start-Up Fund, participated in the 2021 DNV GL Joint Industry Project that produced DNVGL-RP-0584, and has been active in the EU Interreg Atlantic Area Emporia 4KT project for shoreside power supply to shipping.

Name

SolarMarine Energy

Legal name

SolarMarine Energy Ltd

Website

https://solarmarinenergy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SolarMarine Energy designs and supplies site-specific floating photovoltaic (FPV) hardware and engineering services for water utilities, ports, mining, hydroelectric, and government clients, leveraging maritime engineering expertise to deploy solar on reservoirs, coastal and offshore waters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Floating Solar / Marine Renewable Energy

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEUAMAHAC

Solar Mounting, Racking, Trackers & Structural BOS Manufacturing

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, Hydro & Geothermal)/Renewable Equipment & Component Manufacturing (Modules, Turbines, Inverters, Towers, Blades)

SECONDARYEUACAGAK

Solar Plant Components Supply & Manufacturing (Modules, Cells, Wafers, Mirrors, Heliostats)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Electric Power Generation/Solar Power Generation (Utility-Scale PV & CSP)

SECONDARYEUAMABAB

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, Hydro & Geothermal)/Solar Energy (PV, CSP, Rooftop & Utility-Scale)

SECONDARYEUACALAJ

Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Electric Power Generation/Distributed & Behind-the-Meter Power Generation (Microgrids, DG)

Keywords

• Floating photovoltaic systems
• Marine solar hardware
• Floating solar panels
• Offshore solar engineering
• Renewable marine energy

Headquarters

HQ city

Ballina

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Floating PV Hardware Solutions: Complete floating hardware solutions for supporting PV panels on water for both inshore and offshore applications. Custom site-specific designs for each installation.
2. Engineering Consultancy Services: Site assessments, feasibility studies, engineering design appraisals, tank testing, numerical modelling, wind loading and mooring studies for floating PV structures and offshore wind/wave projects.
3. Hybrid Energy Plant Solutions: Design and development of hybrid marine energy plant solutions combining floating solar with other renewable energy technologies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SolarMarine Energy Ltd (SME) designs, engineers and manufactures complete floating hardware solutions that support photovoltaic (PV) panels on water for both inshore and offshore deployment, with site-specific structural designs for reservoirs, lakes, ports, hydroelectric facilities, nearshore fish farms, flood plains and flooded mining pits. The company also delivers engineering consultancy including site assessments, feasibility studies, tank testing, numerical modelling, wind loading/mooring studies and hybrid marine energy plant solutions combining floating solar with other renewables.

Product overview

SolarMarine Energy Ltd (SME) offers a unified portfolio of floating solar hardware solutions centered on their patented Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) Panels, designed for maritime deployment in both coastal and inland water environments. The core offering includes site-specific structural design services, engineering consultancy, tank testing, and numerical modelling capabilities. SME distinguishes itself through innovative PV configurations that achieve 0.26 kWp/m2 power density (30% higher than industry average), unique wind/wave load shedding design, and low-light capture optimization. The company also provides hybrid energy plant solutions combining floating solar with other marine energy sources, along with expert consultancy for offshore wind and wave projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Floating Solar Panels (Floating Photovoltaic Panels) Complete floating hardware solutions for supporting photovoltaic (PV) panels on water for both inshore and offshore deployment, designed in accordance with Maritime industry Best Practice. Targeted at enterprise clients across water infrastructure, ports, hydroelectric, mining, aquaculture, and state authority segments requiring renewable power generation on water surfaces.
• Site-Specific Floating PV Structural Design for Ports and Coastal Locations Site-specific structural design solutions for floating PV plants deployed at coastal locations, ports and harbours, including shore-side power applications. For port authorities, harbour operators and coastal infrastructure clients.
• Site-Specific Floating PV Structural Design for Inland Water Areas Site-specific structural design for floating PV plants on lakes, reservoirs, quarries and other inland water bodies including water treatment facilities and flooded pits. For reservoir operators, water utilities, hydroelectric operators, mining/quarrying operators and state authorities.
• Engineering Design & Consultancy Services Engineering consultancy covering site assessments, feasibility studies, engineering design appraisals, tank testing, numerical modelling, wind loading and mooring studies, and hybrid marine energy plant solutions combining floating solar with other renewable energy technologies. For enterprise clients planning floating PV or offshore wind/wave projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% more power from solution compared to other FPV structures (0.26 vs 0.18 kWp/m2)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DNV GLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Joint Industry Project participant in Development of Recommended Practices for Floating PV Industry with 26 International Floating PV Developers. Contributed to DNVGL-RP-0584 best practice document.
• Marine Institute of IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Floating Solar Hybrid Energy Plant project. SolarMarine Energy partnered with University College Cork to deliver design of a Floating PV Plant to power Hydrogen Electrolysis.
• University College CorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Marine Institute floating solar hybrid energy project and Emporia 4KT EU project. Collaborating on hydrogen electrolysis and photocatalysis applications.
• Queens University BelfastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASE2 Project partner for Floating Solar Energy Plant Testing Programme. Assessment of Wind uplift forces acting on Floating PV Panels and measurement of structural loads on different plant designs.
• Bryden CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on study of Photocatalysis and Floating PV for clean energy applications.
• Údarás na GaeltachtaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Partner in Emporia 4KT EU project for providing clean hybrid photovoltaic electricity solutions for ports, coastal communities and islands.
• Professor Marco Rosa-ClotcoreOthersTechnical advisor with wide experience in theoretical physics and applied industrial research. University professor and researcher in Italy. Author of 70+ papers including 30+ on renewable energies and floating PV, and two books for Academic Press on Floating PV. Part of DNV GL Recommended Practices JIP team.
• Professor Trevor WhittakercoreOthersRetired Professor of Coastal Engineering from Queen's University Belfast. Former Head of Marine Renewables research group. Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering for pioneering work on Wave Energy. Supports development of floating solar structures for nearshore deployment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BayWa r.e. Large global renewable energy developer and EPC that has developed and operates utility-scale floating PV projects (e.g., in the Netherlands and Southeast Asia). A broad incumbent competing in FPV as part of a wider solar and renewables portfolio.
• Scatec ASA: Norwegian-listed renewable energy IPP with growing floating solar portfolio including hybrid solar+storage projects in Southeast Asia and Africa. Broad incumbent in renewables with overlapping FPV ambitions and EPC scale advantages.

Direct peers

• Isigenere: Spanish floating PV company (acquired by Endesa) providing FPV systems for reservoirs, irrigation ponds and industrial water surfaces. Comparable European FPV hardware peer with overlapping customer segments.
• SolarisFloat: Portuguese floating PV technology provider offering modular floating solar platforms for reservoirs, water treatment and industrial water bodies. Closely comparable to SolarMarine in product offering and target segments.
• Ocean Sun: Norwegian floating PV company using a membrane-based floating solar technology for near-shore and hydropower reservoir applications. Directly comparable to SolarMarine as a specialized FPV hardware provider targeting hydro reservoirs and offshore markets.
• Ciel & Terre International: Ciel & Terre is the world's largest dedicated floating PV developer, originator of the Hydrelio floating PV system, with hundreds of MW deployed globally. It is the most direct competitor to SolarMarine in floating solar hardware for inland and nearshore water bodies.
• Swimsol: Austrian marine solar company specializing in offshore floating PV for tropical island and resort applications (notably Maldives). Comparable to SolarMarine in marine-grade FPV expertise targeting offshore deployment.

Others

• DNV (Energy Systems): Global energy standards and assurance body that authored the DNVGL-RP-0584 Recommended Practice for FPV (in which SolarMarine participated). Not a competitor, but a key ecosystem partner/standards-setter shaping buyer requirements across the FPV industry.

Emerging players

• Yellowstone Energy: Emerging FPV developer with proprietary floating solar technology for inland water bodies. Comparable as a smaller technology-focused FPV peer competing for similar project types.
• Sunlit Sea: Dutch early-stage company developing offshore floating PV systems targeting offshore wind co-location. Highly relevant as a technology peer in the same offshore FPV niche SolarMarine is targeting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SolarMarine_SME
• Facebookfacebook.com/SolarMarine-Energy-109215914934080
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solarmarine-energy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SolarMarine Energy