Innovation is where it all starts. Offshore energy and clean fuel production technologies are not the only parts of the sector where innovation is at an all-time high. The supply chain continuously brings new solutions to make projects such as offshore wind farms, hydrogen production, and floating solar plants as cheap and efficient as possible.
Innovation has a special place at Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference (OEEC). There is no conference session, regardless of which part of the offshore energy sector it is dedicated to, and no exhibitor, regardless of which industry they are doing business in, that does not involve innovation.
New system integration solutions, like floating solar or energy storage for offshore wind, allow for higher generation capacities. Advanced technologies used in survey operations, meteorological and oceanographic measurement and predictive analysis enable improved planning and personnel safety offshore. Automated engineering solutions can support quicker construction, optimized operation and maintenance, and more environmentally friendly activities offshore.
With many more solutions out there that are moving all offshore energy industries forward, the sector itself, with all its verticals, highlights innovation as a key driver to the advanced energy technologies we have today.
In November, the OEEC conference will bring together panelists from some of the leading companies in offshore energy to discuss floating wind, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and grid and interconnectors.
Built on a new approach to decarbonization and clean energy systems, CCS, floating offshore wind and (offshore) grids, innovation is the main pillar of the industries and will thus be an inevitable subject at the conference.
Established players in the offshore energy sector, including companies working in oil and gas, that are participating in OEEC are not on the margins of innovation talk. Most of the innovative technology we have today has been developed or had its development supported by businesses that established themselves in the market a long time ago.
In line with this, the majority of exhibitors and attendees at OEEC are renowned companies that have been working in the offshore energy sector for decades.
Still, while the exhibition floor and conference program cover both established and new businesses, start-ups bringing next-generation solutions to the market have their own space at OEEC.
After OEEC 2023, this year too, Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference will set up the Innovators’ Dock.
With a dedicated booth on the exhibition floor where start-ups can showcase their solutions, OEEC aims to bring innovation to the forefront of the event and provide an opportunity for new businesses to maximize their presence at the event and use it to their advantage.
To provide a better idea of the solutions presented at the Innovators’ Dock, it is best to dive into those that were showcased by some of the exhibitors during OEEC 2023.
FLASC
FLASC is a Delft-based start-up working on non-battery energy storage for offshore applications that is tackling a fundamental problem: the mismatch between renewable energy supply and consumer demand.
According to the company, this is the first solution tailored for co-location with offshore wind. It is based on an advanced hydro-pneumatic liquid piston concept where electricity is stored by pumping a liquid to compress a volume of air. Using the patented technologies, the process achieves very high efficiencies, resulting in an offshore solution that is cost-competitive with land-based storage. With a co-located FLASC system, offshore wind farms can have an additional 10-30% of the revenue through its output optimization, FLASC says.
“FLASC is well positioned to make an impact on the energy transition by improving the economics of offshore energy projects, enabling more projects to be built, and therefore more clean energy in our grids. The annual Offshore Energy event has been a great platform to showcase our solution to potential clients and key stakeholders,” said Daniel Buhagiar, Co-Founder & CEO at FLASC.
At the moment, the technology is at Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6). To develop further and conduct the last technology qualification step with DNV before entering the market, FLASC is going to build a demonstration system in the Rotterdam area. The technology is covered by international patents, received a Statement of Feasibility from DNV and was recently selected for funding under the EIC Accelerator. It was also nominated for the 2024 European Inventor Award in the Research category. FLASC will have a booth at OEEC 2024.
Heerema Engineering Solutions
Heerema Engineering Solutions, an independent engineering company within the Heerema Group, is focused on delivering new engineering solutions to address complex challenges with the objective of supporting the offshore renewable energy sector. Established in 2019, the company gathers specialists in mechanical, marine, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), structural, geotechnical and installation/removal engineering – all with a focus on automation.
The company’s expertise covers early-phase development, including feasibility studies and concept design, logistical analysis to optimize project planning, and project execution support to ensure efficient and safe operations. Heerema Engineering Solutions utilizes in-house tools to develop innovative solutions, focusing on construction strategies and risk mitigation to enhance project performance.
One of the in-house tools the company has is a logistical simulation system called Metis which allows Heerema Engineering Solutions to provide insights into construction duration and critical operations. This can help reduce project duration, costs, and weather downtime by developing robust and risk-averse strategies and methodologies, according to the company.
In the offshore renewable energy industry, Heerema Engineering Solutions provides services for both fixed-bottom and floating wind such as dynamic positioning, structural engineering, and installation methodologies that cater to the unique challenges of offshore environments.
Heerema Engineering Solutions performed a large study for The Carbon Trust named Stick Building On Site. This engineering study investigated methodologies and feasibility of WTG assembly of floating offshore wind sites.
In 2023, the Dutch company was one of the six selected by the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub in New York to receive support to further develop their solutions that could help advance offshore wind in New York and the United States.
Next Ocean
Next Ocean, a spin-off of the Delft University of Technology, focuses on reducing operational risks and maximizing operational uptime in offshore environments by employing advanced technology and industry expertise.
The company specializes in short-term deterministic wave and ship motion prediction and has developed WavePredictor, a ‘Vessel Motion Radar’ that streamlines offshore operations and makes them safer. Next Ocean’s technology can predict high waves at sea up to minutes ahead of their formation.
In offshore wind, the technology can be employed both during offshore wind turbine installation and to ensure safe personnel transfer and equipment lifts during maintenance tasks in challenging conditions, according to the company.
“We are thrilled by the positive feedback we get from crews using our systems offshore. Stating that due to this technology, they don’t need to operate ‘in the dark’ anymore, foreseeing large swells before they reach their vessel,” said Karel Roozen, Next Ocean’s CEO. “Getting presented this information in time allows them to temporarily pause an equipment lift, or gangway landing or transfer operation for example. Preventing accidents or structural damage, even in challenging conditions”.
In February this year, Next Ocean revealed its WavePredictor system was commissioned on board a Boskalis multipurpose vessel equipped with a trencher, specialised in subsea cable burial. The WavePredictor is being used for trencher launch and recovery operations in challenging weather conditions. The company’s WavePredictor is currently also installed on several service operations vessels (SOV), including North Star’s service operations vessels operating at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the UK.
“It’s great to see this technology take-off after all the hard work we put into it,” Karel Roozen said. With over 20 systems sold of which twelve are already operational, Next Ocean’s CEO is determined to, together with the team, have a significant impact on the overall safety and efficiency of offshore operations. “It’s really motivating to be able to provide a solution that helps to improve the safety of crews performing all the hard work offshore, and at the same time having a positive impact on the renewable energy transition by lowering the levelized cost of energy for offshore wind.”
Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2024, coming up on November 26 and 27 in RAI Amsterdam, will welcome innovators at the Innovators’ Dock in Hall 2. With new projects across the entire offshore energy board emerging this year, the OEEC organizer, Navingo, expects a strong presence of businesses and organizations involved in and/or supporting innovation.
