Offshore Wind Innovation Hub announces 2024 selections for accelerator programme

Six companies were selected from a pool of 78 applicants based on the novelty of their solutions that will help propel the US to the forefront of offshore wind technology.

Launched in January 2023, the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub is led by Equinor in collaboration with Urban Future Lab at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium (NOWRDC) supported by the New York City Economic Development Corp. (NYCEDC).

The 2024 Offshore Wind Innovation Hub Accelerator Cohort:

1. Boxkite Software (Bristol, UK): Bankable-level accuracy energy yield assessments in minutes to assess site feasibility and design.
2. Claviate (Aarhus, Denmark): Visual data platform enabled by AI cameras for transparency and process optimisation of construction management.
3. Indeximate (Hinckley, UK): Fibre optic sensing for predictive maintenance of subsea power cables by remotely profiling integrity and condition.
4. Pliant Energy Systems (Brooklyn, USA): Autonomous underwater vehicle with robotic propulsion technology enabling new seafloor surveying capabilities.
5. Sensatek (Daytona Beach, USA): Structural health monitoring of turbine blades by using video images where every pixel is a vibration sensor.
6. Triton Anchor (Boston, USA): Low cost, silently installed, modular foundation installation system allowing for any mooring configuration.

The evaluation process to select the six companies was based on rigorous technical interviews and public presentations held on 15 May 2024 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

The winners will take on a six-month mentoring and business development programme residency, designed to prepare them for strategic partnerships with major offshore wind developers, suppliers, and the wider offshore wind value chain. The programme aims to enable innovators to overcome barriers to adoption and continue to successfully commercialise their solutions in New York and beyond.

“Pliant believes that the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub accelerator will be a key partner as we move towards commercialising our technology first in New York City, then across the region and the world. Experts from the program’s sponsors will give us invaluable insight into the market as we look to define the best product-market fit for our propulsion technology. In addition, gaining access to the water and relevant test environments in New York City is structurally difficult and typically requires relationships with key stakeholders that this accelerator can help facilitate,” said Russell Bingham, Head of Product & Lead Robotics Engineer at Pliant Energy Systems.

In 2024, the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub’s cohort selection process focused on innovations that can improve the project economics of US offshore wind. The evaluation criteria therefore emphasised economic impact including scalability, market traction, and potential local impact of solutions. Cohort companies will be individually paired with knowledgeable Equinor mentors and gain industry-specific guidance on technology development from NOWRDC.

The Offshore Wind Innovation Hub is based in Brooklyn with a mission to advance an inclusive supply chain and accelerate a green economy. Cohort companies will also benefit from NYCEDC’s extensive involvement in piloting and innovation activities throughout the city. Urban Future Lab and NYU Tandon School of Engineering bring extensive experience in hands-on start-up support and a vast network of ecosystem partners. All to support innovators on their journey to scaling up and commercialising climate solutions.

For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

Energy Global's Spring 2024 issue

The Spring 2024 issue of Energy Global starts with a guest comment from Field on how battery storage sites can serve as a viable solution to curtailed energy, before moving on to a regional report from Théodore Reed-Martin, Editorial Assistant, Energy Global, looking at the state of renewables in Europe. This issue also hosts an array of technical articles on electrical infrastructure, turbine and blade monitoring, battery storage technology, coatings, and more.

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/07062024/offshore-wind-innovation-hub-announces-2024-selections-for-accelerator-programme/