UK Companies Explore New Offshore Charging Concept for CTVs

UK-based Oasis Marine Power and its compatriot Velrume have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop intelligent in-field energy storage and charging infrastructure for crew transfer vessels (CTVs) to facilitate the electrification of offshore wind farm operations.

The non-exclusive MoU will evaluate the viability of using an intelligent power conditioning and management system with a powered mooring station to create a microgrid interface within the offshore wind farm.

“This innovative configuration will allow for the in-field charging of hybrid and electric wind farm vessels, contributing to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over the life of the wind farm”, said the partners.

Under the MoU, Oasis Marine Power will supply its Oasis Power Buoy infrastructure to enable the transfer of power to vessels.

The Oasis Power Buoy is an offshore mooring and charging station that optimises carbon dioxide reductions with a zero-emission power source fed from wind turbines. The concept commenced testing in the Port of Cromarty Firth, Scotland in January 2022 and will continue in various locations throughout the year.

Verlume’s Halo subsea battery energy storage system will provide energy storage services to optimise the charging profile.

Integrated as part of the Halo device will be an intelligent power conditioning and management system which will provide intelligent management of the available energy, allowing charging at times of low energy demand from the offshore wind farm, and therefore maximising revenue from power generation, said the partners.

“With the projected growth of offshore wind on an international scale, the decarbonisation of the operations and maintenance of offshore wind farms will be critical to reaching net zero targets”, said Paul Slorach, Business Development Director at Verlume.

“As part of this MoU, Verlume and Oasis Marine Power will be taking industry leading steps to start this decarbonisation journey through electrification, enabling offshore wind operators to reduce greenhouse gas associated with the operation of their fields as well as reducing overall fuel consumption and cost”.

Similar technology was presented last year by MJR Power and Automation.

The company, together with ORE Catapult, Xceco, Artemis Technologies, and Tidal Transit, is developing offshore charging points for electric vessels with the first one being installed on the Lynn and Inner Dowsing wind farms off the UK around late summer.

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