The latest UK companies to be awarded an opportunity to develop and demonstrate their robotic solutions, with GE Renewable Energy and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, have been announced.
Eleven-I and Innvotek have both successfully applied to a series of challenge competitions through GE Renewable Energy and ORE Catapult’s ‘Stay Ashore’ research and development programme.
Derbyshire-based Eleven-I, which provides instrumentation hardware, software and data analysis technologies, has been selected to develop its blade monitoring and analysis system. This will be used to monitor blade health throughout its lifetime, from post-manufacture and transportation through to operation.
While Innvotek, a Cambridge-based technology consultancy, was successful in its application to further develop a robotic crawler, equipped with bolt inspection capability and a tightening tool for generator maintenance.
Read more: UK project develops robotic solution for wind turbine bolt integrity
Michael Corsar, CTO of Innvotek, said: “Innvotek are delighted to be working with GE Renewable Energy and ORE Catapult to develop and demonstrate our technology which will make offshore wind turbine inspection and maintenance safer and more cost effective.
“Our goal is to provide innovative solutions to support the continued growth of offshore wind energy. This programme is enormously valuable as it provides a unique partnership and in-depth expertise to boost the development of our robotic technology for offshore wind.”
Both companies will now go on to receive technical support, guidance and demonstration opportunities with GE Renewable Energy and ORE Catapult. The programme is delivered through the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub’s Innovation Exchange, in partnership with KTN.
Anthony Gordon, ‘Stay Ashore’ programme manager and senior product manager at GE Renewable Energy, added: “We believe that robotics solutions such as the ones presented by Eleven-I and Innvotek have the ability to significantly reduce operations and maintenance costs for offshore wind turbines like the Haliade-X. We are looking forward to seeing their innovation demonstrations.”
