Deep Wind Offshore takes tech company Spoor to new markets

April 24, 2024
CEO Knut Vassbotn in Deep Wind Offshore (left) and CEO Ask Helseth in Spoor, at WindEurope in Bilbao.

After completing the first full-year bird survey in Norway, offshore wind developer Deep Wind Offshore will introduce Spoor to the Swedish and South Korean market.

- Coexistence is crucial for succeeding with offshore wind development. After gaining valuable information from Spoor’s bird monitoring in Norway, we will now use the technology in Sweden and South Korea, says Knut Vassbotn, CEO of Deep Wind Offshore.

Norwegian start-up Spoor have developed a software that enables the wind industry to measure and report on bird impact, operationalise analysis, and implement mitigation measures. Offshore wind developer Deep Wind Offshore has completed the first full-year bird survey with the use of Spoor’s AI technology.

– We are thrilled with the opportunity to join Deep Wind Offshore in other markets. This is an important validation of our technology, says Ask Helseth, CEO of Spoor.

From Norway to the world

Spoor’s proprietary model estimates a bird’s 3D flight path. This data provides insights on bird flight patterns, pre and post construction. Based on a bird's flight path, Spoor can detect possible collisions and other flight activity near turbines. This is a first for offshore solutions.

The past year, Spoor has detected and tracked birds by the first large scale floating wind area in Norway – Utsira Nord – on behalf of Deep Wind Offshore. Their camera has been measuring from a lighthouse at the island of Utsira, providing new observations of species and contributing to increased knowledge.

– It is of high importance for us to collect as much data on biodiversity as possible. Spoor provides an efficient solution compared to other monitoring tools, without compromising on the findings, says Vassbotn.

Data can be collected from all offshore installations including turbines, substations, and floating platforms.

– Our target is to help developers and operators gain insights and guide mitigation measures, with a technology that reduces cost and complexity of bird monitoring. The data we collect can also contribute to a fact-based approach in the public debate, says Helseth.