In a groundbreaking development for the renewable energy sector, Beam, a leader in offshore wind services, has successfully deployed the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-driven autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The state-of-the-art technology has already been utilized to inspect the jacket structures of Seagreen, Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm—a joint venture between SSE Renewables, TotalEnergies, and PTTEP.
Beam's AI-driven AUV marks a significant leap forward in marine technology and underwater robotics. By eliminating the need for human intervention, this innovative system can autonomously perform complex underwater inspections, promising to transform how offshore wind inspections are conducted. This breakthrough not only improves the efficiency of these operations but also reduces the overall cost of offshore surveys.
Traditional offshore wind inspections have been labor-intensive, requiring teams of skilled divers or remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) controlled from the surface. Beam's AI-powered AUV offers a fully autonomous solution, capable of transmitting data back to shore in real-time. This allows offshore personnel to focus on more critical tasks while reducing the time required for inspections by up to 50%, leading to substantial operational savings.
Beyond efficiency gains, Beam’s autonomous technology enhances the accuracy and depth of the inspection process. The AI-driven AUV can generate high-quality 3D reconstructions of wind farm structures, providing operators with detailed visual data to monitor asset integrity, identify potential issues, and optimize maintenance schedules. This leap forward in technology will likely set a new industry standard for offshore wind inspections, particularly as the industry expands into deeper waters.
Brian Allen, CEO of Beam, highlighted the transformative potential of this innovation by saying “We are very proud to have succeeded in deploying the world’s first autonomous underwater vehicle driven by AI. Automation can revolutionize how we carry out inspection and maintenance of offshore wind farms, helping to reduce both costs and timelines. Looking ahead to the future, the potential of this technology is huge for the industry, and success in these initial projects is vital for us to progress and realize this vision. This wouldn’t be possible without forward-thinking customers like SSE Renewables who are willing to go on the journey with us.”
The Seagreen wind farm, operational since October 2023, holds the distinction of being the world’s deepest fixed-bottom offshore wind farm. Beam’s AI-driven AUV has already provided valuable insights at Seagreen, demonstrating its ability to inspect large offshore wind superstructures with unprecedented efficiency. The data collected will aid in maintaining operational reliability, particularly in monitoring marine growth and assessing erosion risks at the foundations.
Matthew Henderson, Technical Asset Manager for Substructure and Asset Lifecycle at SSE Renewables, emphasized the value of this technology for the industry:
“At SSE, we have a mantra that ‘if it’s not safe, we don’t do it.’ Beam’s technology demonstrates that autonomous inspections can reduce the personnel we need to send offshore for planned inspections while speeding up planned works and collecting rich datasets to inform asset integrity planning. As we move further offshore, and into deeper waters—the ability to collect high-quality inspection data in a low-risk manner is imperative to us delivering our Net Zero Acceleration Programme.”
Beam is set to scale this technology across its fleet of DP2 vessels, ROVs, and AUVs by 2025 and 2026, positioning itself as a pioneer in offshore wind operations. The roll-out of the AI-driven AUV aligns with Beam’s broader mission to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of offshore wind inspections, supporting global efforts toward a sustainable energy transition.
As the offshore wind sector continues to grow, with more projects moving into deeper waters, Beam’s cutting-edge autonomous technology will be critical in ensuring these projects remain safe, cost-effective, and sustainable. The deployment of AI-driven AUVs represents a significant shift in the offshore wind industry, positioning Beam at the forefront of technological advancements in the clean energy space.
Reference: https://beam.global/media/beam-unveils-the-worlds-first-ai-driven-autonomous-underwater-vehicle/
