Meet the Team: Benoat Danglade
At Innosea, a part of OWC, we are continuously growing—broadening our reach, deepening our expertise, and expanding our impact across diverse sectors. This growth empowers our teams to lead the way in promoting safety and sustainability for our oceans and the energy industry.
Our people are at the heart of what we do, and we invite you to get to know our team members so you can meet the energy behind change.
This week, we speak to Benoat Danglade – a service line lead for floating solar based in our Nantes office.
Position: Service Line Lead, Floating Solar
Office: Innosea Nantes, France
Hobbies: Rugby, surfing, mountain hiking, and bike trips!
What does your day-to-day look like at Innosea?
As the leader of the floating solar team at Innosea, I have the pleasure of supervising an exceptional group of professionals.
Our team is known for its positive vibes, strong mindset, unwavering renewables commitment, and technical expertise. My daily goal is to ensure that everyone is happy, stimulated, and fully engaged in their work, with all the necessary resources at their disposal.
What inspired you to join your industry?
My passion for the ocean, nature, and the energy transition, combined with my engineering mindset, made joining the marine renewable industry a perfect fit. The floating solar industry, being in its early stages, presents a unique and exciting challenge. It involves developing engineering methodologies, ensuring safe project delivery, establishing best practices, and adapting offshore industry expertise to inshore applications. This journey of innovation and problem-solving is incredibly fulfilling.
Moreover, our engineering and consultancy work focuses on making clients’ projects feasible by reducing planning and cost risks. There’s nothing more satisfying than providing decisive support to turn a troubled project into a carbon-friendly reality. Witnessing the tangible impact of our efforts, with the commissioning of numerous floating solar plants over the past five years at Innosea, fills me with optimism about the industry’s future and the services we offer.
Can you tell us about something exciting you are working on right now?
Currently, I am particularly thrilled by renewing our floating solar strategy.
We are hoping throughout this process we hope to further extend our services, reinforce our position in a highly dynamic market, and push for the development of offshore solar modelling capabilities through extensive hydrodynamic R&D projects with public and private partners.
What does the future look like for floating solar?
The floating solar industry is rapidly evolving, receiving positive feedback from key stakeholders such as developers, investors, and local authorities. In Europe, there is a significant pipeline of projects in France, the Netherlands, and Portugal. However, regulatory requirements are currently limiting the full potential of these developments. Recent announcements indicate that Italy, Spain, and Greece will become key markets for the industry in the coming years.
In Africa and the Indian Ocean, development banks are actively supporting floating solar projects, particularly in conjunction with hydroelectric dams and on non-interconnected islands. Meanwhile, Asian stakeholders continue to lead the market, both in terms of the number of projects and their complexity, including nearshore, offshore, complex reservoirs, and very large-scale projects.
What do you enjoy most about working as part of the ABL Group team?
Being part of OWC and the ABL Group is an incredible opportunity to bring together the best from various industries, expertise, offices, and people.
As an engineer, I get to learn from brilliant individuals, and our clients benefit from a team with global experience and local knowledge. At Innosea, I have the privilege of working with amazing colleagues. The inclusive and kind environment, combined with our shared commitment to renewable energy, makes every day enjoyable and fulfilling.
