Innovating to net zero

(Right) C-Power’s we ’ r’s SeaRAY resident dent system concept cept

The journey to electrifi cation is well underway in the UK, with technologies such as electric cars and heat pumps playing a key role in helping the country reach net zero. But off shore, s h h a y the push for electrifi cation is just beginning.

The oil and gas industry has pledged to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and given that power accounts for 70% of all off shore production emissions, electrifi cation of off shore facilities is likely to prove critical.

However, the potential for electrifi cation to both lower emissions and unlock new capabilities in not only oil and gas but also shipping, scientifi c research, defence and security has largely gone untapped.

Despite the growth in off shore wind, the sea remains an unsuitable power source for the vast majority of off shore applications due to location and power needs, especially for lower power and non-permanent operations. These and other constraints have stifl ed momentum to decarbonise this part of the market.

Autonomous off shore power

Off shore electrifi cation is critical to realising a net-zero North Sea, but support for technological innovation is key, says Reenst Lesemann, CEO of C-Power

However, that is changing rapidly. New companies – including many startups, such as ourselves at C-Power – are developing innovative solutions to electrify off shore operations. For example, our SeaRAY autonomous off shore power system (AOPS) converts reliable, renewable wave energy into electricity, or other fuels such as hydrogen, that can power a wide range of marine equipment.

AOPS help support autonomy for resident underwater vehicles, to extend the range and effi ciency of unmanned surface vessels, and to bring the Cloud to the sea for real-time transmission and analysis of environmental and operational data.

These are systems that will be part of the ‘Internet of Ocean Things’ that can monitor underwater carbon capture and sequestration sites or retired off shore oil and gas fi elds, detect underwater security threats, or collect the data needed for critical research electrifi cation technologies across the on climate change and the environment. chasm. The Net Zero Technology Centre is leading eff orts to decarbonise the North Crossing the innovation chasm Sea and is a strong advocate for early-stage Startups, however, cannot launch a new electrifi cation technologies. The industryway of doing business in the blue economy led Oil and Gas Climate Initiative is a key on their own. Industry cog pushing the commercial adoption of transformation requires the new emissions-reducing technologies entire value chain to buy-in through pilot projects and global – government stakeholders, implementation. Meanwhile, Scottish early-stage technology Enterprise has supported our Scottish investors, operators and subsidiary with a SMART:SCOTLAND suppliers willing to take risks grant to study the SeaRAY’s capabilities and help bring promising to support resident systems with clean

Electrifi cation technologies to the market. To cross the innovation power in remote locations. could cut CO2 chasm, it takes all parties emissions from UK North Sea oil sharing a common goal to secure funding, support and partnering for new and gas technologies – and to get operations by those technologies on the development road maps for 2–3m tonnes per large, established companies. year by 2030 Many forces in the UK are working to push off shore

Seize the opportunity

The UK is keenly positioned to lead on off shore electrifi cation, not only to fulfi ll a moral imperative to protect the environment and climate but also to seize the multibillion-pound economic opportunity that awaits those who unlock a wave of ocean innovation through electrifi cation.