Aberdeen firm hails backing for cable monitor

PROSERV Controls has hailed Scottishpower Renewables’ backing as a “vital step forward” for its subsea cable condition monitoring system for offshore windfarms.

Aberdeen-based

Proserv said its Electro Cable Guard, or ECG, system “offers a paradigm shift in present market offerings” around condition monitoring of inter-array and export cables.

The systems has been initiated and driven by Proserv with support from its consortium partners Synaptec, a power system monitoring leader, and cable engineering specialists BPP Cable Solutions.

The industrial sponsorship agreement will see Scottishpower Renewables (SPR) provide its expertise and resource both from a cable owner and operator perspective, bringing vital knowledge into the project to assist in the on-going development and ultimate functionality of ECG.

SPR’S input is expected to “greatly help the future commercialisation of the system”.

Machine-learning will be integrated into the system to detect minute anomalies in performance, potentially indicating future issues requiring remedial action.

It is anticipated that the capabilities of ECG will lead to significant advances in the way subsea cables are managed, with commercial-scale windfarm demonstrations expected next year.

Paul Cook, of Proserv, said the move is a “vital step forward”, adding:

“To have such key end user support throughout the development ensures that our subsea cable monitoring solution sits front and centre of what the industry needs and wants.”