As innovation is core to the wind industry also this year’s conference had it’s flying start with the yearly innovation contest. The community of OEMs, service providers, system suppliers, researchers, utilities, wind farm developers etc. had the chance to listen to new ideas that are trying to enter the market and solve a clear problem or impact the efficiency within the industry to the better.
The 2020 winners were AmpacityBrain – represented by Kateryna Morozovska (Heimdall Power) and Sebastian Haglund el Gaidi (Greenlytics) – a cloud-based application which provides real-time information and forecasts of actual ampacity of power lines for all involved stakeholders. It helps DSOs to send curtailment signals to wind farm operators and gives traders the transparency they need in order to make accurately bid the available power. The first prize was sponsored by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, who will perform an innovation due diligence together with the winners. The jury’s motivation was as follows “Grid questions are important for the wind industry. AmpacityBrain is working towards higher return on investment for grids and helps to postpone grid extension whilst still integrating more renewable power. Additionally, collaboration between two start-ups is highly appreciated and encouraged.”
Second place was taken by Patrice Roberge (Université Laval, Québec) with his concept on low–cost optical sensing surface for instrumental icing assessment. His prize was sponsored by Siemens Gamesa.
We’d like to thank the jury, Helena Wickman (Vattenfall), Eva Podgrajsek (OX2), Sara Ghaem (InnoEnergy Scandinavia) and Jenny Longworth (Kjeller Vindteknikk Sweden) for the balanced and professional evaluation of the innovation pitches. A very warm thanks also to all participants of the innovation contest, namely Daniel Roeper with Borealis Ice Protections System, Pedro Pinto with Fibersail shape sensor, Ville Kaikkonen with ICEMET and Markus Rhomberg Freytag with Sommer ice detecting system, thanks for sharing your innovative approaches with the industry representatives!
We are already now looking forward to new approaches, ideas and products being presented at Winterwind next year. Be sure to stay tuned on the call for innovations.
Photos: Sven-Erik Thor
Curious? Contact Tanja Tränkle, Project Manager at RISE; tanja.trankle@ri.se
