Advanced Cable Monitoring Technology Aims to Mitigate Costly Faults in Critical Offshore Infrastructure
Aberdeen-headquartered controls technology firm Proserv has secured a significant contract with Norwegian energy giant Equinor to deploy its advanced ECG™ (Electro Cable Guard) monitoring technology at the 402 MW Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm off the Norfolk coast. The deployment, scheduled to commence in 2027, underscores the industry’s increasing focus on asset integrity and proactive maintenance to ensure the reliability of vital renewable energy infrastructure.
The Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm, located approximately 32 km off the North Norfolk coast, features 67 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines and has been fully operational since October 2017. Co-owned by Equinor (35%), Masdar (35%), and Statkraft (30%), with Equinor acting as operator, the wind farm generates enough clean electricity to power approximately 410,000 UK homes. The initial investment in the project was approximately £1.25 billion.
The contract will see Proserv’s ECG™ Business Unit install its proprietary cable monitoring technology, which provides continuous visibility into the health of critical subsea cables and terminations. This is a crucial development, as cable failures are a major concern in the offshore wind sector, accounting for 50% to 80% of insurance claims and potentially costing projects as much as £20 million per gigawatt annually due to repair costs, lost generation, and vessel mobilisation.
Proserv’s ECG™ system, which is non-intrusive and passive, is designed to identify developing issues early by combining real-time monitoring with advanced data analysis. This capability supports a more proactive approach to asset management, aiming to prevent failures before they lead to costly unplanned downtime. The technology is adept at addressing up to 90% of common cable system failure modes, particularly at cable terminations, which are frequently a source of faults.
In addition to ECG™, the deployment at Dudgeon will incorporate Proserv’s Distributed Electrical Sensing (DES) technology. Developed by Synaptec, in which Proserv is a shareholder, DES utilises existing fibre optic infrastructure to deliver high-fidelity current and voltage measurements across the network. Its passive sensing technology requires no power or data networks at the sensing locations, offering enhanced visibility of electrical performance in challenging offshore environments. Together, ECG™ and DES will provide Equinor with a deeper understanding of the health, integrity, and performance of Dudgeon’s critical electrical assets, enabling more efficient and data-led operational and maintenance strategies.
Barry Frost, Director of ECG™ at Proserv, commented on the significance of the agreement, stating: “This is a significant milestone for ECG™ and a strong endorsement of the value our technology can bring to major offshore renewable assets.” He further emphasised the evolving focus within the industry: “Dudgeon is a critical part of the UK’s renewable energy infrastructure, and as the industry continues to scale, the focus must move beyond generating more power to protecting the infrastructure that delivers that power reliably to the grid.”
In Case You Missed it:
OEG wins major subsea corrosion protection contract for Germany’s Gennaker offshore wind farm
Ofgem announces biggest field of bidders since 2019 for North Sea offshore wind farm grid links
Chinese State holds significant stake in Moray Wind Farm through tax haven company
Renewables company sells North Sea wind farm stake at discount
Mr Frost highlighted the benefits of the integrated solution: “ECG™ gives Equinor greater visibility of the condition and performance of its electrical assets, helping identify developing issues before they become costly failures. By combining ECG™ with DES, we can provide an even richer picture of network performance and give the operator greater confidence in the availability and security of site generation.” He concluded: “Ultimately, this is about moving from reactive maintenance to proactive asset management reducing risk, improving reliability and helping maximise the value of offshore wind assets over their operational life.”
This contract further solidifies Proserv’s growing presence in the renewable energy sector, building on previous deployments of its ECG™ technology at other significant projects such as Dogger Bank A and B, Hywind Scotland, and Hywind Tampen. The company, with a 60-year heritage in controls technology, has successfully diversified from oil and gas to leverage its expertise in addressing the critical challenges of the offshore wind industry.
The UK is a global leader in offshore wind, with ambitious government targets to achieve up to 43 GW of capacity by 2030, a revision from the earlier 50 GW goal. Currently, the UK has between 13.9 GW and 15.6 GW of fully commissioned offshore wind capacity. Meeting these targets necessitates sustained investment in robust asset integrity management, as the operations and maintenance market for offshore wind is projected to be the UK’s second largest sub-sector by 2030, representing a £1.3 billion annual opportunity. Proactive monitoring solutions like those offered by Proserv are becoming increasingly vital in mitigating risks and ensuring the long-term efficiency and profitability of these large-scale renewable energy assets.
