Crondall Energy has announced that its SafeMoor technology has been selected by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, and Flotation Energy as the solution provider for the Innovation Exchange challenge: Solutions for Anchor Monitoring, with a Focus on Anchor Slippage, supported by Innovate UK.
Floating offshore wind represents the next evolution for the offshore wind industry. However, with innovation comes risk. To address these challenges, Crondall Energy has developed SafeMoor - a comprehensive mooring integrity management (MIM) solution designed to mitigate risks associated with deploying mooring systems, which can involve hundreds of lines in a floating wind farm.
The challenge, proposed by Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult’s Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence (FLOWC), in partnership with offshore wind farm developer Flotation Energy, was supported by Innovate UK’s Innovation Exchange programme. Innovate UK Innovation Exchange, ORE Catapult and Flotation Energy will provide support to Crondall Energy as they continue to develop SafeMoor.
Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Manager, John Ransford commented:
'Crondall Energy’s SafeMoor solution is an exciting and innovative response to one of floating offshore wind’s critical challenges. We’re proud to support their work through the Innovation Exchange programme, which is designed to accelerate exactly this kind of impactful, industry-ready innovation. By addressing anchor slippage with a comprehensive mooring integrity approach, Crondall is helping to enable the safe and scalable deployment of floating offshore wind.'
Flotation Energy’s Naval Architect Technical Authority Dr Rachel Nicholls Lee, said:
'Flotation Energy was delighted to partner ORE for this challenge supported by Innovate UK’s Innovation Exchange programme. Developing innovative solutions for monitoring anchor movement and slippage on floating offshore wind turbines has direct practical applications for floating offshore wind, and we were particularly impressed by the SafeMoor mooring integrity management solution. We look forward to supporting Crondall Energy as they continue to develop this technology.'
SafeMoor provides a holistic approach to mooring system integrity, covering the entire lifecycle - from design and manufacturing to installation, and operation, with continuous feedback. This integrated approach enhances collaboration among the many organizations involved in MIM, streamlining processes and improving efficiency.
How SafeMoor Works
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Design Phase: SafeMoor begins with an independent analysis of the planned mooring system. The data generated during this stage is captured and used to train advanced machine learning models.
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Pre-Installation: Selected material samples from the manufactured mooring system are collected and preserved as baseline references, accompanied by detailed manufacturing data.
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Operational Monitoring: SafeMoor employs a combination of machine learning, sensor fusion (utilising a minimal number of cost-effective, reliable, and easy-to-maintain sensors), time-series anomaly detection encoders, proprietary software, and a user-friendly interface to provide continuous real-time monitoring of mooring system conditions.
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Lifecycle Optimisation: As mooring line components near the end of their operational lifespan, they can be recovered and tested onshore with full insight into their loading and environmental history. This process enables potential life extensions and provides valuable feedback for manufacturers.
Upcoming SafeMoor Demonstrations
Crondall Energy is taking key steps toward field-proven deployment of SafeMoor. This July, SafeMoor will be utilised on the demonstrator buoy of Crondall Energy's subsidiary company, Buoyant Production Technologies (BPT), located offshore Falmouth. This demonstration will showcase the technology’s capabilities and offer visitors the opportunity to interact with the system’s user interface.
Later this year, Crondall Energy will conduct dry trials of a subsea sensor - designed and built by Siemens Energy - that monitors the integrity of all anchor types, including drag embedment and vertical anchors. These trials are planned to take place at ORE Catapult’s Floating Offshore Wind and Innovation Centre (FLOWIC) in Aberdeen.
Join the SafeMoor Joint Industries Project (JIP)
Crondall Energy invites industry participants to collaborate in a Joint Industries Project (JIP) aimed at validating SafeMoor across multiple floating wind turbines. The initiative seeks to establish anonymised databases to enhance mooring line material performance.
Source: Crondall Energy
