New Product Represents Step-Change for Floating Wind

A leading North East-based concept design and product development company is leading the charge in creating integrated solutions which can accelerate the deployment of floating offshore wind.

SBT Energy’s portfolio of low-cost offshore innovations aim to not only drive down capital investment costs but also foster an associated multiplier effect by building part of the new infrastructure which is needed to operate in the increasingly cost-conscious environment of the UKCS.

Central to fulfilling future growth ambitions is the company’s new Disconnectable Turret for Renewables (DTR) for Floating Offshore Wind, which is the latest of its low-cost, innovative products and joins a suite which focuses on increasing uptime and efficiency wherever and whenever deployed.

The DTR is unique in combining the advantages of spread and single point mooring by enabling quick connection, disconnection and reconnection of both mooring lines and power cables on Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) structures.  It is technology agnostic and can be used on most semi-submersibles, spars or barges designs to achieve sizeable time and cost savings when compared to current methods as used on the existing FOWT deployments. Together with increased safety, reduced risks and increased opportunities for local content and minimising production downtime the DTR is the logical enabler for floating wind to bring down the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCoE).

SBT Energy’s products are the culmination of over five years of research and technical development that have evolved  from roots in developing low cost, unmanned production systems for offshore oil and gas.

The highly-skilled, professional and experienced team is located across Britain and is led by directors Ewan Neilson, Malcolm Bowie and David McPherson.

Commenting on the launch, SBT Energy director Ewan Neilson said: “Aberdeen has a long history as an entrepreneurial city and it has a proven track record as a place which can adapt, just as it did at the advent of the oil industry.

“That pre-existing willingness to step up to new environmental challenges will be crucial throughout the changes we are seeing in the offshore renewable energy sector as will embracing the fact that automation is proceeding at pace, fired by the dual factors of energy transition and the Covid-19 pandemic.”

He added: “Against that backdrop, SBT Energy is driven to innovate with technologies which offer scalable offshore housings which enable equipment to be placed exactly where and when it is needed and DTR is the latest product of that journey and is a game changer for the floating wind industry, offering huge export opportunities.”

To find out more, visit www.sbt-energy.com

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