FutureOn, an energy software company, has delivered tools within its FieldTwin platform as part of an 18-month project with Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) to help offshore wind and low-carbon energy teams make more informed design decisions earlier in project development.

Supported by NZTC’s Open Innovation Programme, which helps accelerate the development of clean energy technologies, the project focused on tackling challenges commonly faced by energy project teams. This included complex electrical design considerations, increasing emissions reporting requirements and the need to compare different project options within short development timelines.

To help address these challenges, FutureOn delivered three tools within its FieldTwin platform: Wind Farm Designer, FieldTwin Report and FieldTwin Intelligence.

Wind Farm Designer supports offshore wind electrical design by helping engineers plan inter-array cabling layouts, including buried cables. It allows seabed hazards and features to be identified and enables ground condition data to be considered when planning cable routes, reducing the need for redesign later in the project.

FieldTwin Report allows teams to compare different project options and outputs. Cost, energy production, emissions and design information can be reviewed together, helping teams understand trade-offs and document decision making.

FieldTwin Intelligence allows access to existing and historic project data and documents, making it easier to explore how design changes affect cost, emissions and performance during early project stages.

Together, these tools allow electrical design, emissions assessment and comparison of project options to be considered as part of the same process, rather than as separate activities. This helps teams identify risks earlier and reduce rework as projects progress.

During the programme, FutureOn contributed more than 1,700 hours of development effort and worked with 15 industry organisations to gather input on project objectives and priorities.

Stig Wølstad-Knudsen, CEO at FutureOn, said:

“This project was about working closely with NZTC and industry partners to address real issues faced during offshore energy development. The outcome is a range of practical tools that help teams bring key considerations together earlier, when decisions are easier to change and have the greatest impact.”

Rebecca Allison, COO at Net Zero Technology Centre, said:

“NZTC’s Open Innovation Programme encourages collaboration that leads to real-world outcomes for industry. FutureOn’s deliverables reflect this, and we are proud to have partnered with them during this programme. This project has delivered tools that reflect industry needs and can be applied widely across offshore energy projects.”

The project builds on FutureOn’s relationship with the Net Zero Technology Centre to support applied digital innovation for the energy transition. The tools delivered through the project are now available to FieldTwin customers.