The DURABLE European project will apply drones and robots technology to renewable installations

The DURABLE European project will apply drones and robots to the operation and maintenance activities of renewable energy installations. The goal is to accelerate the development of renewable energies through the validation and demonstration of aerospace technologies applied in robotics for wind and solar energy systems. The application of this technology will allow automating inspection and repair tasks, reducing costs and favoring production.

The project was born with the challenge of boosting the development of renewable energies in the Atlantic region (Spain, Portugal, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom)

The kick-off meeting was held in Bidart (France) with the challenge of boosting the development of renewable energies in the Atlantic region (Spain, Portugal, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom). The European project DURABLE has a budget of 3.9 million euros and is financed by the Interreg Atlantic Area Programme through the European Regional Development Fund.

Led by the Ecole Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées of France, the initiative has a significant Andalusian presence, since it includes three partners: the University of Seville, the Technological Corporation of Andalusia (CTA) and the Advanced Center for Aerospace Technologies (CATEC).

The project will apply, for the first time, disruptive aerospace, robotic, inspection and additive manufacturing technologies in wind and solar installations

DURABLE is the acronym of the project that stands for ‘Drones and maintenance robots for the promotion of renewable energies in the Atlantic area’ which, for the first time, will apply disruptive aerospace, robotic, non-destructive inspection and additive manufacturing technologies to solve the current challenges in the operation and maintenance of wind and solar energy parks.

The project plans to map the available technologies and the needs in the operation and maintenance of solar and wind energy parks, and then adapt these technologies. The DURABLE European project will end with the realization of a model and a test of the solution in a pilot project.

A new technological framework for a new model

The common challenge addressed by the DURABLE European project is the need to change the current paradigm of the renewable energy sector through the transformation of the technological, institutional, industrial and social framework in the Atlantic area. In fact, the Atlantic region stands below the average of the European Union (EU) in the consumption of renewable energy. Countries need to upgrade their renewable energy production technologies to overcome these challenges.

Twelve partners from five Atlantic countries

The DURABLE European project consists of a consortium of twelve partners from the five Atlantic countries, comprised of seven technological centers / universities, two clusters and three industrial partners. In addition, four other associated entities participate integrated in an Advisory Board.

The project includes six Spanish partners: University of Seville, Advanced Center for Aerospace Technologies (CATEC), Basque Energy Cluster, Alerion Technologies, Lortek S.Coop and Technology Corporation of Andalusia (CTA).