Three companies have been selected to receive funding from the West of Orkney Windfarm through EMEC’s Offshore Wind R&I Programme. The £1 million programme aims to find innovative solutions that could help make offshore wind projects more efficient and cost-effective. The programme received 29 applications, with a focus on two main areas: understanding metocean conditions at the West of Orkney Windfarm site and improving designs for operations in short weather windows.
After a detailed review process, the finalists pitched their proposals to EMEC and the West of Orkney Windfarm team. Trios Renewables and Seaview Sensing were chosen for the metocean challenge, while Next Ocean will address short weather windows.
Trios Renewables is developing a solution to integrate metocean data into operational expenditure (OpEx) models for offshore wind, aiming to reduce risk and improve financial performance before final investment decisions.
Seaview Sensing is working on a high-frequency radar system to improve wave measurement accuracy and provide real-time data on surface currents, waves, and wind, helping to improve forecasting and identify safe weather windows for offshore activities.
Next Ocean has developed a tool to predict waves and ship motions in real-time, enabling crews to identify calmer moments for critical offshore operations.
The projects are expected to be completed later this year. The next innovation call will open in February 2025, focusing on weather forecasting and turbine access in rough seas.
Image credit: Next Ocean
