Blue Accelerator | Blue Accelerator
Blue Accelerator
| Lead Organisation | POM West-Flanders |
| Country | Belgium |
| Type | Wave, Tidal, Floating Windfloating solar PV, multi-use floating devices |
| Website | https://www.blueaccelerator.be/ |
-
Type of Testing Wave, Tidal, Floating Windfloating solar PV, multi-use floating devices Year Established 2020 Temperate/Tropical Temperate Commercial/Array/Full scale/Scale Array, Full scale, Scale Development Status Operational Overview
Blue Accelerator is an offshore test and demonstration platform for blue energy and blue economy research and application projects in early and mid-range development stages (TRLs 4-7). It is located in the North Sea, near the port of Ostend (BE). Applications that can be tested and demonstrated range from wave convertors, floating solar PV, multi-use platforms, e.g. with aquaculture, balance of system components, cable and connector testing, corrosion, to drones, robotics and AUVs. The strengths of the Blue Accelerator are its 1) quick access with a pre-consented permitting process for developers; 2) easy prearranged insurance availability; 3) inhouse expertise and support in all development phases; 4) near to harbour (and to international airport Brussels); and technical: (5) availability of a broad range of sensors and a plug-and-play equipment setup; (6) robust autonomous power supply; (7) permanent high bandwidth datalink to landside; and (8) full remote control of all systems. -
Number of Berths multiple Water Depth 8.2 m (MSL) Min Water Depth (m) Max Water Depth (m) Avg Water Depth (m) 8.2 Annual mean significant wave height 1 m Maximum recorded wave height 4.5 m Mean (averaged current speed) 0 - 1.8 m/s Maximum current speed Maximum tidal range 5 m Mean wind speed 6.6 - 30 m/s Max wind speed Seabed type Sandy Total test area (km2) 0.12 Distance to land 1 km Grid connected N Grid connection capacity 200 kVA Rated export capacity and connection Proximity to nearest harbour (km) 2 km -
Demonstration Projects
- NEMOS - https://www.nemos.org/
- Many scheduled
R&D Projects
- NEMOS - https://www.nemos.org/
- Many scheduled
Infrastructure
Offshore test and demonstration platform, fully equipped (autonomous power supply, SCADA, datalogger, high bandwidth datalink with landside) to install, monitor & inspect, and decommission test devices in the exclusion sea zone or at/near the platform; Pre-arranged access to port facilities for pre/dis-assembly, towing in/out of devices, storage; Access to incubator office facilities (BlueBridge) near the port, in the Ostend Science Park.Equipment available to support site deployments
Sensors above sea level: meteostation; Panthyr (Pan-and-Tilt Hyperspectral Radiometer System) type TRIOS/RAMSES; nearby CNR4 irradiation radiometer; solar PV panels at top deck available for calibration and reference; high-res cameras. Sensors at/below sea level: Datawell Waverider in test zone; at submerged rack: turbidity, CTD, NO3, PO4, SO4, NH4, CHLA sensors; pod for (power/data) connection to user sensors. Other equipment: top-deck and semi-submerged test racks (corrosion, sensors, otherwise); remote controlled autonomous power supply (in range of AC and DC); SCADA; multichannel datalogger; high bandwidth datalink with landside; emergency VHF radio.Services of test programmes offered on site
Floating device testing; energy convertor testing (scaled or full-size); component testing; unit and array testing; dynamic/static cable & connector testing; corrosion testing (submerged, splash zone, above sea level); anchoring & mooring testing; environmental monitoring (above, at or below sea level).Key supply chain companies in the region
For company names, please contact us. Large supply chain at close vicinity of Blue Accelerator: wind farms companies (8), offshore project developers (16), offshore design & engineering firms (7), offshore construction & installation (16), maintenance services (85), offshore cable (2), decommissioning & recycling (4), port & shipping logistics (10), offshore training institutions (2), offshore blue energy clusters (5).