SSE Challenge 1
Offshore wind generation remote supervision and maintenance support challenge.
What's the open innovation challenge?
To develop, source or adapt technologies that would allow the efficient and reliable transmission of video, AR, camera, audio and data in real-time, from an offshore wind turbine to an onshore location.
Challenge details
SSE plc is a leading offshore wind farm operator in the UK and Ireland. Offshore wind farm operations are largely dependent on the use of technicians, vessels and equipment, to monitor, inspect and maintain the major assets and components. Minimising the costs, health and safety risks and turbine downtime associated with operations and maintenance (O&M) tasks is a major industry priority.
Remote supervision has been identified as one of the innovations required to address health and safety concerns and reduce the cost of offshore wind O&M activities.
Remote supervision is a process where a technician can communicate in real-time with a supervisor or equipment provider to get direction or supervision for a maintenance operation, or to check with an equipment provider that the equipment is working as expected.
Equipment needs to be rugged, durable, and able to be used in confined spaces as well as at potentially long distances from the operations base. Any solution needs to be able to utilise existing communications links. And should be a low cost high added value solution that utilises or adapts existing equipment, software and techniques that are probably already being deployed or developed in other industries.
Anticipated milestones
Phase 1 – Feasibility including demonstration and mock-up of existing equipment in situ or lab conditions (3-6 months)
Phase 2 – Engineering optimisation (18-24 months)
- Develop bespoke prototype system for offshore wind applications
- Testing and evaluation
- Accelerated life cycle testing
- Field trials
- Plan for manufacturing and scale-up
Proposal tips
SSE is looking for concise, non-confidential proposals that will:
- Describe the technical approach
- Ideally include information on the technological readiness of the proposal
- Include proof of concept data, reference to any publications or previous applications and potential route to commercialisation
- Reach SSE by 31 July 2019