Canadian IT giant CGI has teamed up with Aberdeen subsea technology firm Fathom Group to develop digital twins of offshore wind farms.
CGI helped Fathom create an “internet of things” (IoT) platform that allows users to collect real-time data from sensors on offshore windfarm assets and structures. Once processed through Fathom’s proprietary algorithms, the data can then be called up to its web-based software which includes a structural 3d-displayer and dashboards.
The partners said the solution will enable more efficient operations and maintenance decisions, improve asset life prediction, and feed into future design improvements.
The development was part-funded by Scottish Enterprise and has been winning awards and industry recognition.
It was one of 10 successful applicants in the ORE Catapults Scottish launch academy accelerator in October last year and achieved a “significant win” in the Scotland CAN DO Offshore Wind Innovation Feasibility Challenge Call, where the firm received support to undertake a benchmarking study of its surrogate model against the industry recognised software produced by. Results of the benchmarking study are expected to be officially released in June.
Fathom was acquired in a £1 million deal by JFD, part of FTSE 250-listed marine services company James Fisher and Sons.
Richard McGowan, managing director of Fathom, said: “CGI has provided us with a secure IoT platform which represents a major building block in our cutting-edge digital twin solution for offshore windfarms.
© Supplied by ETZ“This solution enables huge volumes of data to be stored securely and processed efficiently, allowing our system to deliver actionable insights to the asset management teams and asset owners long-term.
© Supplied by Fathom Group
“With 30% of total lifetime costs of offshore windfarms attributed to operations and maintenance activities, this technology can take a significant step towards reducing the levelized cost of energy for this sector as well as improving the viability of offshore wind projects, which are major enablers in meeting global net zero targets.
“We are excited to continue this partnership with CGI, as their global expertise in building secure data platforms is a core requirement, alongside Fathom’s subject matter expertise, in delivering this technology to the highly critical energy market we serve.”
© Supplied by CGICGI vice president for consulting delivery Richard Sadler said: “Digital twins are an exciting and ground-breaking way of transforming the energy sector, in particular offshore windfarms.
“This new, secure IoT platform provides the invaluable real-time data that can leverage transformation through rapid collection, analysis and interaction with data.
“Fathom are subject matter experts in this field, and this platform is very much in line with CGI’s approach to developing big data solutions which in the future will be capable of generating tangible business outcomes, whilst operating under our responsible AI framework.”
