Fred. Olsen in Oslo has developed a technology where a floating buoy generates electrical energy at sea surface, from ocean waves. One of the units, the BOLT Lifesaver, has been engaged at US Navy test site in Hawaii. Weighting 56 tons and spanning 16m diameter, Lifesaver has three winched onboard, winch lines connected to seabed. During the summer of 2018, one ton of ocean sensing and subsea wireless power transfer equipment was installed onboard BOLT Lifesaver, and October 12th 2018 the complete system was installed on test site. Lifesaver stores some of the generated power in an onboard battery bank. The sensor package continuously draws 0.5-1kW of power from this battery bank. As we speak, the system has been installed for 61 days. She has generated power non-stop since installation, 3kW average, and have been able to supply the client sensor package it’s nominal power draw for 79% of the time, allowing for over 1.100 hours of operational hours so far, uptime only previously achieved by use of cable from shore.

Fred. Olsen is now working on configuring the Lifesaver technology to a small, single winch version at 5m diameter, 10 ton weight, that can be quickly installed and recovered, and export the generated power through the winch line down to seabed to power UID docks and provide communication from seabed to surface and shore, thus allowing UID docks to be installed independent of available power and fiber infrastructure, hence greatly increasing capability of resident UID systems in subsea operation.