GLASGOW, Jan 7 (Reuters) – Scottish technology company Synaptec has been selected to provide its advanced cable monitoring technology to help prevent cable failures at the latest phase of the Dogger Bank offshore wind project, one of the largest offshore wind farms under development in the UK.
Cable failures are a leading cause of financial losses and insurance claims within the offshore wind sector, accounting for 83% of such issues. These failures can result in developers facing significant financial setbacks, often amounting to tens of millions of pounds in losses.
Synaptec, headquartered in Glasgow, has developed Distributed Electrical Sensing (DES) technology, which is capable of detecting four out of every five cable faults in offshore wind farms. The technology focuses particularly on joints and terminations, which are responsible for 69% of all cable failures in offshore wind projects. This makes Synaptec's solution highly relevant to improving the reliability and performance of offshore wind farms.
Philip Orr, CEO of Synaptec, emphasized the importance of addressing cable failures to support the growth of offshore wind. “Cable failures and unplanned maintenance are bad news for the offshore wind sector and a challenge which can and must be overcome as the UK and other countries around the world embark on their clean energy missions, Orr said.
He continued, “DES will help unlock the full potential of offshore wind around the world, giving operators peace of mind and preventing claims backlogs running into the hundreds of millions of pounds for some individual cases. This latest order positions DES as the de-facto standard for electrical monitoring of offshore wind power cables, and we look forward to delivering the next phase of our exciting growth journey.
Synaptec's technology has already been selected for other major offshore wind projects, including the Hywind Scotland and Hywind Tampen floating wind farms. With the increasing demand for clean energy, the company is positioning itself as a key player in ensuring the reliability and efficiency of offshore wind power systems.
Orr concluded, As the energy transition delivers major challenges to the power industry, Synaptec stands ready to support developers with the solutions they require to ensure economical and efficient operation.
