On Tuesday, the winners of the Offshore Wind Innovators Award 2021 were announced during an hybrid event. GBM Works won the jury award while Jungle AI won the public award.
Three nominees, GBM Works, Jungle AI (Jungle) and SpectX, pitched their innovation to the offshore wind sector during the hybrid event TKI Wind op Zee LIVE.
GBM Works convinced the jury, consisting of Glenn Bijvoets (Eneco), Jasper Geselschap (innovation Quarter), and Peter Eecen (TNO), with their innovative installation method for offshore wind monopiles called Vibrojet. According to the jury : “GBM Works has developed a technology to install monopiles. The technology consists of a combination of 2 principles: vibratory driving and water injection. This innovative method is engineered to be superior to an impact hammer and a vibratory hammer on drivability and noise, and comparable with a vibratory hammer on lateral bearing capacity. GBM Works made an essential step with their tests last year with the achievable jet penetration depth ranges and the required energy for penetration in clay for penetration. They gave clear insights on the cost reduction potential of the technology, and the steps they want to make.”
Leo van der Bijl of GBM Works: “I feel honoured to receive this award among these other great companies. To us, it proves we’re on the right track and I am confident that our technicians will contribute to a faster energy transition.”
The audience found Canopy of Jungle the most appealing offshore wind innovation of 2021, with a very close call, 36% of the votes of the audience. Pim Breukelman of Jungle says: “I am excited to get this recognition for the team of Jungle who has been working extremely hard to set up this innovation. And we hope to have a big impact in the offshore wind sector.”
The third nominee was SpectX with an aerial radiography system. Akhilesh Goveas of SpectX: “First of all, big congratulations to GBM Works and Jungle and their innovative technologies to give a push to the energy transition and to make wind energy cheaper. SpectX is proud to be nominated as an early-stage company and I think it will help us with the media attention to find our future customers. It was a great experience.”
The Innovation Award is organized by the community of Offshore Wind Innovators with the purpose to create visibility of smart innovations by start-ups and SME companies.
Windpowernl interviewed the three nominees. Read the articles here: SpectX, Jungle and GBM Works (p. 30).
