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Engineering company delivering design and consultancy services to help accelerate the transition towards a low carbon economy.
Business profile
10+ years of company history with a strong track record in Offshore Wind.
Significant experience in fixed-bottom structures.
Looking to transition into services for Floating Offshore Wind.
Support recieved
Business Transformation
Grant Funding
Solutions for the offshore wind industry
Improved reliability and speed of connection and disconnection of offshore energy devices.
Reduced time and cost for installation, disconnection and maintenance.
Reduced LCOE.
A closer look at Apollo
The connection and disconnection of the moorings and cables that anchor floating platforms to the seabed are a high-cost area in the Floating Offshore Wind market. Required at mobilisation, demobilisation and during repairs, the cost – including the resulting interruption in power generation – is substantial.
The quick connection mechanisms of PALM QCS offer an efficient way for platform operators to reduce costs and improve reliability, without the need for specialised boats and handling equipment, hydraulics or motion correction. The PALM QCS provides a scalable, robust device which reduces the levelised cost of energy (LCOE).
Impact of the support
PALM QCS product attained technology readiness level 4 (TRL4).
Developed a clear strategy to progress to TRL6 and beyond.
Insight into the cost benefit of the PALM QCS and identification of target markets.
Before
With a 10-year history in delivering engineering solutions for fixed bottom Offshore Wind structures, Apollo was developing its service and product offering to cater for the growing Floating Offshore Wind market. Apolloʼs own research suggested that quick-connect and release devices would be required for Floating Offshore Wind installations as a strategy for reducing the LCOE. Prior to OWGPʼs support, Apollo had been developing an innovative new device, the PALM QCS, to enable quick connection of mooring and electrical systems for floating wave energy developers.
During
Apollo secured funding via OWGPʼs Cross-Sector Call 2020 to undertake a research and design project to adapt its PALM QCS product to work with an existing product on the market, Floating Power Plantʼs (FPP) hybrid wind to wave converter. This was with a view to improving the costs and reliability of connection and disconnection in the Floating Offshore Wind sector. The concept design was supported by engineering calculations and the project concluded with the delivery of a commercialisation report.
After
As a result of the project, Apollo gained a deeper understanding of existing connector technology which led the company to develop the market positioning strategy for PALM QCS as an LCOE reduction tool for Floating Offshore Wind farms. Apollo also has a clearer vision of the productʼs scalability and cost benefit offering to its target market. The resulting concept from the design project attained TRL4, with a clear strategy for progressing to TRL6 and beyond.
“We knew that we had a concept with strong potential for floating renewables. The OWGP project allowed us to demonstrate how it can reduce installation and operating costs in floating offshore wind, while identifying the technology drivers, market opportunity and route to technical readiness. With this sound basis we are excited to be developing the
PALM QCS for Scotwind, INTOG and other forthcoming deployments in the UK.”
