Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Cable Monitoring and Surveying for Offshore Wind Farms providing movement, depth, surface disruption and free-span readings

Project Information

Cable Sentry

Grant agreement ID: 735565

DOI

10.3030/735565

Project closed

EC signature date 9 August 2016

Start date 1 August 2016

End date 31 October 2016

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION SERVICES LIMITED
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Cable Sentry (Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Cable Monitoring and Surveying for Offshore Wind Farms providing movement, depth, surface disruption and free-span readings)

Reporting period: 2016-08-01 to 2016-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Electricity Distribution Services Ltd (EDS), the leading Termination & Testing contractor for High Voltage cabling on offshore wind farms, have developed a fibre optic monitoring technique that we believe will revolutionise cable fault location for the wind offshore market. The Cable SENTRY concept is based on Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), an optical fibres’ technology to detect minute mechanical effects (vibration, pressure and impact). The overall objective of the project is to create a commercially ready Cable SENTRY system, with validated results through data capture and field trials.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The Cable SENTRY system is currently at TRL6. We have successfully demonstrated the potential with small-scale trials on the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm.
During our Phase 1 project, we have validated customer demand for Cable SENTRY, and examined potential competition with respect to intellectual property. We have concluded that there are no significant current barriers to our participation in the market. Additionally, EDS was able to select the preferred partners for product development and large-scale trials to be rolled out in Phase 2. Based on discussions with potential partners and key customers, EDS was able to establish a technical specification as well as a pricing model for Cable SENTRY, and develop a business plan for commercialisation.
We have concluded that due to the market demand for this product we will continue the project onto Phase 2 for further development to TRL8.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Cable SENTRY provides a single, real-time monitoring solution with the sensitivity to identify cable sections at increased risk of failure or faults in the cables with a pre-location accuracy of 10 m. Cable SENTRY aims to save energy companies and wind farm operators at least 50-60% time and cost saving for fault location over existing solutions.
The EU has committed to working towards an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. It is widely recognised that offshore wind will be a major contributor. As the numbers of wind farms are increasing, social pressures towards cleaner energy generation and geographical limits mean wind farms are being located further offshore, having a reliable and fast responding cable monitoring solution becomes more critical for the industry.
Cable SENTRY will provide direct positive impact by delivering a solution to market that will make offshore electricity more competitive by decreasing the operational costs that occur from cable faults.

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