"This project is being executed by **CONSUB Ltd** in collaboration with **ORE Catapult**, **Edinburgh Napier University** and **ScottishPower Renewables** (SPR) and comprises the development of an innovative **Jacket Pile Gripper** mechanism to connect offshore jackets to their foundation piles. Hydraulically operated gripping mechanisms are commonly used in the offshore energy industry for temporary connections with long term connections typically achieved by using a grouted connection. This concept utilises a new type of mechanism to apply the gripping force and a mechanical system to lock that force in place creating a long term permanent connection without the need for hydraulic or grouted connections. In a recent call for ideas by ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) and supported by ORE CATAPULT, this concept was selected as a winning concept and both parties have agreed to collaborate with CONSUB in developing the concept for use on offshore jackets supporting wind turbines."

Cedeco Contractors Ltd are conducting a feasibility study for an improved installation technique for offshore wind. The company is proposing to replace grout with a mechanical alternative as a means of securing the jacket foundation of an offshore turbine to the seabed; if successful, this will represent a step change in foundation installation techniques. Over the past forty years grout has been the go-to method for securing offshore foundations; it's a proven technique within offshore oil and gas. However its application in offshore wind is presenting new challenges particularly in relation to the time taken and costs involved. In summer of 2018 a leading wind developer in partnership with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC) launched an innovation challenge looking for ways to reduce the cost of the grouting process. Cedeco's proposed approach won that challenge. But before developing a full scale prototype for testing, the company is continuing to develop its value proposition by conducting an initial feasibility study and examining market need. Together with the wind developer, a global engineering firm and research partner (OREC) Cedeco is going to develop, model and test its technology. It's aiming to achieve a level of pre-certification from the industry standards bodies (for example, DNV GL) before progressing to prototype development and testing. At the same time the company is planning to conduct market research within the wider community of offshore wind developers; testing its value proposition with these end users to ensure it fully meets their needs, and indeed, to ensure there is a wider end user need that needs satisfying. Fabricating, testing and certifying a prototype of this innovative technology will require a significant level of investment (£1-2m) over a sustained period of 2-3 years. The aim of this feasibility study is to provide evidence of the technology's prospects for success and to support future investment decisions regarding a subsequent and larger project of developing and testing a prototype.

"Safe and efficient construction, operation and decommissioning of subsea assets is critically important to UK and worldwide energy production. This is particularly true for offshore renewable energy where cost efficiencies are necessary to deliver clean power that is cost competitive with other low carbon systems and at an affordable scale. From construction to decommissioning, underwater survey provides the data to monitor condition, predict asset life and ensure the environment is protected. We aim to deliver a step change in efficiency and safety by delivering live, dense, 3D point cloud data from small, Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles. This will enable smaller vessels to be used with fewer crew, no divers, and removing the need to put people at risk. Compared to traditional visual survey, 3D data allows accurate measurement and repeatable, reliable metrics for asset condition monitoring and automatic monitoring from autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Ultimately, live 3D enables accurate navigation for fully autonomous inspection AUVs reducing manpower and increasing efficiency yet further. Currently, AUVs do not possess the detailed mapping and localisation required for visual inspection work. Quality 3D visual data is also a prerequisite to applying artificial intelligence and deep learning solutions to 3D images thereby enabling greater autonomy and reliably repeatable measurements. AUV3D Phase 2 continues from the successful phase-1 project, which saw Rovco develop and demonstrate technical feasibility of live underwater 3D reconstruction from vision. This took place in the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult's Blyth test facilities, where a dry dock with test targets was used to test and evaluate the system. For phase-2, the goal is to extend and improve on this both in terms of the underpinning technology and with more representative testing both in test tank and at sea. The prototype developed in Phase-1 enables innovative real-time underwater 3D survey from video, and for phase-2 we extend this into a more complete solution, considering integration with additional sensors and the delivery of live survey data to shore. By demonstrating the software and hardware necessary to produce live 3D data from cameras in the challenging and extreme subsea environment we enable the development of a complete vision based underwater Robotic Artificial Intelligence (RAI) survey solution. This is vital to create small, capable, intelligent autonomous vehicles and allow more efficient survey with fewer people in harm's way."

Nearly all offshore wind turbine foundations, whether monopile, tripod, jacket or floating wind turbines rely on strong piled foundations. However, difficult ground conditions are often encountered at North Sea and Baltic sites that make it hard to design foundations that are both effective and economic. Foundations can consume 25 to 30% of project costs and uncertainty over piled foundations can restrict or block the development of offshore renewable energy. A Consortium representing a major developer, Scottish Power Renewables, a leading University, Imperial College London, and a small firm of specialist geotechnical engineers (GCG, London) is working to drive costs down across the Industry, especially in Chalk-dominated, but otherwise promising, development areas. The key steps being taken are: (i) developing novel offshore test procedures that can be applied in all uncertain ground conditions, (ii) conducting a unique set of field tests in Chalk, drawing on recent advances made by the research and development team and (iii) synthesis with all available data to develop new more reliable design procedures. The work will cut the costs and risks faced by many major future projects.