Groundbreaking Carbon-Free Autonomous Subsea Vehicle Residency Solution Advances
March 10 2020 - 9:00AM
Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPTT), a leader in
innovative and cost-effective ocean energy solutions, today
announced that it is working on a groundbreaking solution for
carbon-free subsea autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) residency –
long-term, persistent deployment without support from manned
vessels – with joint development partners Modus Seabed Intervention
and Saab Seaeye.
“We believe a self-contained system powered by
an OPT PowerBuoy® and exempt from existing ocean infrastructure has
the potential to revolutionize the industrial use of AUVs and make
long-term residency a cost-effective reality,” said George Kirby,
OPT President and Chief Executive Officer.
“Modus Seabed Intervention’s experience with
advanced technology development efforts in subsea docking with Saab
Seaeye’s market-leading hybrid AUV (HAUV) enables autonomous
offshore operations and we believe it is a natural fit for our
environmentally sound PowerBuoy® ocean power and communications
technology,” Kirby added. “We’re looking forward to working
together to further support the growing offshore electrification
market.”
Remote operation without the need for surface
vessel support or complex power and data umbilical cable systems to
offshore platforms or land has the potential to offer tremendous
savings over operations that would otherwise require manned vessels
– including long-term environmental monitoring, frequent subsea
equipment integrity inspections, and interaction with seafloor
assets.
This novel system is designed for carbon-free
autonomous offshore operations with the OPT PowerBuoy® power and
communications platform at its core. Via an innovative integrated
mooring and subsea power/data transmission cable, a PowerBuoy® can
provide carbon-free power to a seabed docking station to recharge
an autonomous underwater vehicle while enabling secure data
transmission to and from shore-based operations located anywhere in
the world.
The autonomous resident AUV system concept has
been jointly submitted for U.S. government development and
demonstration project funding consideration.
A photo accompanying this announcement is
available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bc0bdb17-dbd2-48cd-a2b1-545519dbc8a3
Ocean Power Technologies’ PB3 PowerBuoy® wave
energy converter is pictured with innovative single point mooring
integrating power and data transmission connected to a subsea
battery solution and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) charging
station. Developed with Modus Seabed Intervention utilizing a Saab
Seaeye Sabertooth AUV, the concept has been submitted for U.S.
government development and demonstration project funding
consideration.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with OPT
and Saab to utilize the PB3 PowerBuoy® as a localized power and
communications source to support low cost and low carbon subsea
residency of HAUVs,” said Jake Tompkins, Modus Chief Executive
Officer. “As a leader in the application of HAUVs and having
been involved in developing subsea residency for some time we are
excited to be a part of this innovative program.”
The ongoing electrification of offshore
applications finds underwater vehicles increasingly utilized for
defense and security surveillance, as well as for seafloor mapping
and asset maintenance in oil and gas, as well as science and
research. Increasing the length and variety of missions an AUV can
undertake can drive down costs and risks, and true autonomous
control with access to data in real time is a goal for operators.
An autonomously powered interactive docking station independent of
traditional infrastructure offers efficiency in routine operations
and facilitates timely response to ad hoc events (extreme weather,
subsea equipment failure) more rapidly than possible with
surface-based vessels.
It is believed that the OPT/Modus/Saab AUV
residency system will boast substantial environmental, risk,
safety, and cost benefits over incumbent fossil-fuel powered
solutions. This system is novel because it’s truly autonomous.
Removing vessels and umbilical links to fossil fuel generation
drops carbon emissions and relocates personnel onshore, cutting
risk and costs while increasing safety.
About Ocean Power
Technologies
Headquartered in Monroe Township, New
Jersey, Ocean Power Technologies aspires to transform the
world through durable, innovative and cost-effective ocean energy
solutions. Its PB3 PowerBuoy® solution platform provides clean and
reliable electric power and real-time data communications for
remote offshore and subsea applications in markets such as offshore
oil and gas, defense and security, science and research, and
communications. To learn more, visit
www.oceanpowertechnologies.com.
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Contact Information
Investors:
609-730-0400 x401
InvestorRelations@oceanpowertech.com
Media:
609-730-0400 x402
MediaRelations@oceanpowertech.com
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