Exciting partnership sees small NE pioneer helping drive global offshore wind growth

North East clean-tech company Kinewell Energy has signed a multi-year global contract with Norwegian energy giant Equinor for the use of its pioneering artificial intelligence software.

Launched in 2015, Kinewell’s Layout Optimisation of Cable (KLOC) software designs subsea cable layouts for offshore wind farms to produce maximum power generation and cost-efficiency.

Kinewell Energy has collaborated with Equinor – the company which will run the giant Dogger Bank wind farm off the North East coast from later this year – since its inception, working on various demonstration projects in the UK, USA and South Korea.

Following that, Kinewell provided commercial consultancy services to optimise the cable layout of Equinor’s Beacon offshore wind project near Massachusetts, which will provide power to New York state.

The new contract licenses the KLOC software to Equinor, for use in developing its offshore wind projects around the world.

In addition to the KLOC software, the partnership will enable Equinor to use Kinewell’s recently launched Heatmap software, which enables developers to focus seabed surveys on only those areas where cable will be laid, rather than the entire seabed in any wind farm.

This also saves significant time and money for offshore wind farm developers.

Dr Andrew Jenkins, Kinewell Energy CEO and founder, said: “When we set up Kinewell Energy, we did so with the aim of developing a software solution that could help speed up and make it more cost-effective to construct much-needed infrastructure projects to support our societal transition to net-zero, and in Equinor we have a customer helping us to realise that ambition.

“Operating in over 30 countries, the company is playing a key role globally in the transition to embracing renewable energy and we are proud to be joining them on their journey as they break new ground and help solve the energy ‘trilemma’ of climate, affordability and security.”

The KLOC software solution has already been successfully deployed on developments across Europe, Japan, South Korea, the USA and China, and typically delivers savings of around 20% of cable system cost over a project lifetime. This translates into millions of pounds.

The KLOC software can be licensed by clients to use in-house, or Kinewell can work on behalf of clients in an advisory role. As part of the deal with Equinor, the Kinewell Energy team will provide training and support to Equinor’s staff to use the software autonomously.

Kinewell Energy has benefited from match-funding through the £3.5m Technology Innovation and Green Growth in Offshore Renewables (TIGGOR) programme in the North East of England, delivered by Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and funded by North of Tyne Combined Authority and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.

Equinor is a delivery partner in the programme, providing technical expertise. Kinewell Energy now employs 10 people in the region, whose jobs will be supported by this new contract.

Elected Metro Mayor for the North of Tyne, Jamie Driscoll, said: “This is a win-win-win-win: it’s great recognition for Kinewell – for their inventiveness and expertise; it’s promising for Equinor – helping them to work even more efficiently, cheaply, and sustainably; it’s a coup for the region – creating new jobs and opportunities, and it’s good news for the planet – as our windfarms become more efficient, cutting our reliance on fossil fuels.

“This is the Green New Deal in action.”