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Three revolutionary corporations have been awarded funding by the West of Orkney Windfarm by way of EMEC’s Offshore Wind R&I Programme.
The £1 million R&I programme, delivered by EMEC and sponsored by the West of Orkney Windfarm, is designed to search out revolutionary options that would ship offshore wind quicker, cheaper and at decrease threat.
The programme’s inaugural innovation name attracted 29 purposes from provide chain corporations. Proposals provided revolutionary options addressing two particular problem areas recognized and prioritised by the programme: understanding metocean circumstances at and en path to the West of Orkney Windfarm web site; and design for brief climate window installations.
Eight corporations progressed to stage two of the primary name, submitting detailed challenge proposals for assessment, after which finalists have been invited to pitch their options to EMEC and the West of Orkney Windfarm group.
Funding has been awarded to TRIOS Renewables and Seaview Sensing for the metocean problem, while Subsequent Ocean will tackle brief climate home windows.
- TRIOS Renewables is creating an answer to embed spatial metocean intelligence into offshore wind operational expenditure (OpEx) fashions, narrowing the hole between the oceanography world and the OpEx world. The software program will assist de-risk and enhance bankable monetary efficiency of initiatives previous to a closing funding determination (FID).
- Seaview Sensing goals to enhance wave measurement accuracy in excessive seas and supply wind mapping to make sure 24/7 floor present, wave and wind information utilizing a high-frequency radar system. The info can be utilized to supply real-time metocean data and, with fashions, enhance forecasting and establish climate home windows, thus decreasing the chance offered by marine climate to folks, cargo and vessels.
- Subsequent Ocean has developed a novel Wave Predictor instrument which predicts waves and ship motions in actual time for the upcoming jiffy. This determination assist instrument supplies predictions at a stage of element of particular person waves and movement crests, permitting the crew to choose calmer moments to execute essentially the most important part of offshore operations.
Initiatives are actually underway and are because of be accomplished this 12 months.
An extra collection of innovation calls will tackle totally different problem areas recognized by the West of Orkney Windfarm and different sponsors, spanning know-how choice, set up logistics, operations and upkeep, sustainable options, offshore robotics, digital twins and different cross-cutting improvements.
The subsequent innovation name is because of open in February 2025 and can be concentrating on options for ‘climate forecasting’ and ‘turbine entry in tough seas’.
Matthew Finn, Business Director at EMEC stated:
“Congratulations to Trios Renewables, Seaview Sensing and Subsequent Ocean. The West of Orkney Windfarm would be the first offshore wind challenge to tackle the highly effective assets west of the UK. This presents a variety of challenges and the improvements introduced ahead within the first name will assist to scale back threat and uncertainties in constructing and working the wind farm. EMEC will proceed to assist the profitable corporations all through the supply part of their initiatives offering them with entry to inhouse specialists, information units and our offshore testing amenities the place required.
“As these initiatives get underway, we’re on the brink of launch the following innovation name, in addition to participating with different events who could also be focused on sponsoring the programme and future calls to construct the programme out additional.”
Stuart McAuley, West of Orkney Windfarm Mission Director stated:
“We’re delighted these three main companies have been chosen to assist tackle among the real-world challenges dealing with Scotland’s pioneering offshore wind sector, and though their work can be focussed on the West of Orkney Windfarm, we anticipate the outputs of this programme to have wider implications on the supply of offshore wind initiatives in difficult marine environments.
“This programme additionally helps the diversification technique of a significant Orkney employer by leveraging EMEC’s substantial expertise within the administration of innovation programmes into offshore wind.
“Future calls will tackle different challenges dealing with the sector, and we hope the success of the Offshore Wind R&I Programme will embed information and experience in Scotland that can prolong to initiatives past our shores.”
David McMillan, Director and Co-Founder at TRIOS Renewables Ltd stated:
“We’ve been struck by the single-mindedness and drive of everybody at West of Orkney and their willingness to embrace innovation as an necessary instrument to get their challenge to Ultimate Funding Resolution. It’s refreshing to see a developer instantly drawing out one of the best innovation concepts after which funding them – I feel it is a mannequin which ought to be used extra broadly within the offshore wind business. For Trios, as an revolutionary Scottish based mostly SME in offshore wind, this represents an excellent alternative and we intend to take advantage of it.”
Lucy Wyatt, Technical Director at Seaview Sensing stated:
“We’re very excited to be a part of this R&I initiative which is able to considerably speed up our analysis programme and generate extra sturdy metocean information. For us it is a vital alternative to work together instantly with the offshore wind sector and get steerage on how they use information and the way we are able to finest tailor our supply for this market. We look ahead to working with EMEC and the West of Orkney Windfarm and hope to steer them to acquire a excessive frequency radar system to assist improvement and operation of this wind farm. This linkage with an offshore wind challenge can be significantly useful in our export markets.”
Dr. Peter Naaijen, CTO at Subsequent Ocean stated:
“We’re more than happy with the chance provided by the Offshore Wind R&I Programme to exhibit and additional optimise our know-how for the difficult atmosphere and purposes at West of Orkney Windfarm. Harsh wave circumstances are proper up our alley and we’re trying ahead to growing operational climate home windows for the windfarm’s transport, set up, operations and upkeep, and on the identical time making the vessel crews’ lives simpler and safer.”
EMEC and West of Orkney Windfarm are exhibiting on the Scottish Renewables Offshore Wind Convention in Glasgow, 22-23 January 2025 on stands G10 and D2.
