Fixed-Bottom Solar Foundations
Powering Coastal Communities with Resilient, Clean Energy
In the face of rising sea levels and increasing vulnerabilities to climate events, coastal communities need access to more resilient, sustainable energy infrastructure.
Introducing Sperra Solar Reef
Solar Reef is a living-breakwater solar foundation, providing resilient power for coastal communities and military bases while protecting against the effects of sea-level rise. Engineered to withstand hurricanes and restore reef habitats, Solar Reef opens up new possibilities for near-shore solar development.
How Does it Work? The Solar Reef features a fixed bottom foundation with a semi-permeable design. The concrete foundation and legs are designed to act as both a breakwater and artificial reef, reducing coastal flooding while promoting marine life colonization. The solar array also offers partial shade during extreme heat waves, aiding with water conservation.
Benefits of Sperra Solar Reef
Lowest cost ocean electricity
3D concrete printing (3DCP) reduces the capital cost of foundational manufacturing by over 75% compared to similar steel foundations.
Reduced carbon emissionS
Solar Reef’s design uses locally available concrete instead of imported steel, slashing carbon emissions up to 50% compared with all-steel foundations.
Coastal resilience
The Solar Reef’s living breakwater structure helps mitigate coastal flooding by breaking large ocean waves, acting as both breakwater and resilient power generator even during extreme weather.
Ecological Protection
Solar Reef restores dwindling near-shore marine habitats such as oyster fields and coral reefs. Shading provided by the PV array will promote resilience for corals in warming seas, mitigating or preventing coral bleaching.
Did you know?
The frequency of flooding in the US is projected to significantly increase by 2050, with a predicted five-fold rise in major flooding events.
– US Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flood Hazard Scenarios and Tools Interagency Task Force