Blackfish Engineering, a United Kingdom–based engineering firm specializing in sustainable energy design and development, recently unveiled a mooring system that could be a game-changer for numerous floating offshore renewable technologies.
Called the C-Dart System, the mooring quick-connector concept makes marine operations safer and more efficient by connecting equipment through an automated process, eliminating the need for employees to handle burdensome mooring lines, as the company explained.
Blackfish says the technology is designed to rapidly connect various floating structures and systems, including wave and tidal energy converters, offshore wind, floating solar platforms, aquaculture, and more.
The contact-free system facilitates a much safer working environment while streamlining the mooring process, a win for both offshore workers and businesses. Plus, the C-Dart's quick secure and release ability improves operational efficiency, reducing the time and costs associated with clean energy projects.
And the faster we can bring pollution-free energy online, the quicker we can lower the planet's temperature, protecting communities from extreme weather and health issues associated with the changing climate.
"Our C-Dart system offers a significant advancement in operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability, addressing critical challenges in the offshore wind industry," Marcus Gay, commercial manager of Blackfish Engineering, said in a news release by Wave Energy Scotland, which funded the technology.
According to Blackfish, the quick connector can handle huge mooring loads ranging from over one to 1,100 tons. It also doesn't require any stored energy or power systems, operating with the natural forces of gravity, buoyancy, and rope tension.
Because the C-Dart is constructed from durable, corrosion-resistant materials, it can withstand the harsh marine environment with little maintenance.
The technology clearly impressed industry leaders and investors. In May, it won the inaugural Norwegian Offshore Wind (NOW) Accelerator, an event where companies presented innovative solutions in the offshore wind industry. The focus was on flexible, scalable, low-maintenance, and durable technologies, and the C-Dart hit all the targets.
"The NOW Accelerator is about challenging the status quo and creating ground-breaking solutions that can shape the future of the floating wind sector," NOW Accelerator's manager, Narve Hansen, said in the news release. "Blackfish Engineering's concept exemplifies the kind of forward-thinking and practical solutions we aim to foster."
As offshore wind farm projects continue to be approved and built at a record pace worldwide, the C-Dart will make harnessing wind power that much easier. It can also be used for floating solar and wave energy applications, which are gradually becoming bigger players in our energy mix.
According to Wave Energy Scotland, Blackfish began developing the C-Dart in 2020, but it's unclear when the technology will be ready for commercial use. What is clear, however, is that it's already making waves at the Fort William Underwater Center, an advanced subsea testing facility. John Maclellan, the center's operations director, said he was "very impressed" after initial testing of the technology, per Blackfish.
When the C-Dart hits the market, it will be yet another tool in our ever-expanding arsenal of sustainable technologies that will make the planet a safer, cleaner place for everyone.
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