RES has announced it has acquired blade inspection and condition monitoring company Sulzer Schmid.
The England-based developer said the deal strengthens its breadth of digital solutions and services to meet growing demand from renewable energy asset owners for smart, data-driven operations and maintenance (O&M).
Sulzer Schmid, based in Switzerland, is a pioneer of autonomous drone inspections for the renewable energy sector and its AI-driven technology enables quicker, safer and more cost-effective blade inspections and repairs, said RES.
The Swiss company’s proprietary technology, 3DX Blade Platform, has transformed condition monitoring of turbine blades using autonomous drones, providing 100% coverage and high-quality inspection data, backed by a powerful and user-friendly SaaS platform, RES added.
The system supports customers to build up lifetime records of blades across entire fleets and portfolios.
Through comprehensive trend analysis and benchmarking over time, platform users can gain valuable fleet insights that can define blade repair work and schedule preventive measures, resulting in significant O&M cost savings and production gains.
RES said the deal is the latest example of its continued drive to combine its global O&M service expertise with growing digital solutions products to help optimise the value of its customers assets.
Established in 2016, Sulzer Schmid has conducted 100GW of inspections and serviced more than 50GW of turbines. The wind O&M market is expected to grow from $32.4bn in 2023 to $53.7bn in 2030, with larger turbines and more demanding weather conditions driving demand for more innovative approaches to blade maintenance.
“Digital innovations in the renewable energy industry are a key enabler of the global energy transition, helping scale infrastructure build-out quickly and efficiently, alongside maximising production from operating assets,” said RES chief executive Eduardo Medina.
“This strengthens RES’ position in the sector by integrating cutting-edge digital technology into our global O&M capabilities.
“By providing our customers with Sulzer Schmid’s digital solutions we can reduce inspection time and costs whilst enhancing data accuracy, actionable insights and safety, making it a game-changer in the energy industry.”
Sulzer Schmid chief executive Tom Sulzer added: “We are excited to join RES, a company that shares our dedication to digital innovation, and enhancing the performance and longevity of renewable energy assets.
“Our customers can expect continued support and improved services, while our 3DX technology will play a key role in advancing RES’ digital solutions.
“We look forward to this new chapter and contributing to RES’ successful O&M service strategy.”
Sulzer Schmid will start operating as RES from today with all employees and technologies transitioning to RES.