In-Short
- Beam deploys world’s first AI-driven autonomous underwater vehicle for offshore wind farm inspections.
- The technology enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and improves data quality for underwater surveys.
- Seagreen wind farm, the world’s deepest fixed-bottom offshore wind farm, benefits from this innovative solution.
- Beam’s AI technology sets a new industry standard for safety and operational reliability in offshore wind energy.
Summary of the AI-Driven Underwater Vehicle Deployment
Beam has made a significant advancement in marine technology by deploying the first AI-driven autonomous underwater vehicle designed for offshore wind farm inspections. This cutting-edge solution was successfully utilized at the Seagreen wind farm, a joint venture involving SSE Renewables, TotalEnergies, and PTTEP, and is now setting new benchmarks for the industry.
The autonomous vehicle streamlines the inspection process, which traditionally has been manual and labor-intensive. By allowing data to be sent directly back to shore, it enables offshore workers to focus on more complex tasks and reduces inspection times by up to 50%, leading to considerable cost savings.
Brian Allen, CEO of Beam, highlighted the revolutionary impact of automation on offshore wind farm maintenance and inspection. The technology not only improves efficiency but also enhances the quality of inspection data, enabling the creation of detailed 3D reconstructions of assets.
Beam’s project at the Seagreen wind farm, operational since October 2023, has provided valuable insights into the potential of autonomous technology for large offshore wind structures. The AI-driven vehicle’s data collection is instrumental in ensuring the operational reliability of the wind farm, monitoring aspects such as marine growth and erosion.
Matthew Henderson from SSE Renewables emphasized the safety benefits of autonomous inspections, which align with the company’s safety-first approach. The technology is crucial for collecting high-quality data in deeper waters, contributing to SSE’s Net Zero Acceleration Programme.
The successful deployment at Seagreen wind farm demonstrates the vast potential of autonomous technology in offshore wind inspections, setting new standards for safety, efficiency, and data quality in the renewable energy sector.
Further Reading and Credits
For more detailed insights into this groundbreaking technology and its implications for the offshore wind industry, please visit the original source.
