Wave energy firm Mocean Energy said Tuesday it has opened a new dedicated office in Aberdeen to meet rising oil and gas industry interest in the decarbonization of North Sea assets.
The Edinburgh-based firm is working to develop a wave energy device – called the Blue Star – to provide zero-carbon power to subsea equipment and future fleets of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney is currently testing Mocean Energy's first prototype.
Ian Crossland, Mocean's commercial director, is in charge of the Aberdeen office. He has over twenty years of oil and gas experience, with a focus on the adoption of disruptive technologies.
According to Mocean, Crossland is backed up by an engineering manager, a design engineer, and an industry PhD student. The four-strong Aberdeen team is part of Mocean Energy’s total staff complement of 16, which is set to grow further in the year ahead, the company said.
Crossland said: "There is increasing interest in decarbonizing North Sea operations and this new office enables us to meet our customers in person to better understand how our technology can meet their needs."
"By bringing the power source close to where it is required, and combining with subsea batteries, Blue Star technology will offer a zero carbon, lower-cost option to umbilicals seen in traditional hub and spoke applications,” Crossland says.
Earlier this year Mocean Energy partnered up with energy storage developers EC-OG together with Harbour Energy, Baker Hughes and AUV specialists Modus on a demonstration project, part-funded by the Net Zero Technology Centre, to trial the use of subsea power in laboratory conditions, with offshore deployment trials planned for spring of 2022.
Wave Energy Scotland has contributed £3.3 million enabling the development and deployment of the at-sea prototype.