The 1st GALATEA Blue Growth Accelerator Call for voucher granted 24 innovative SMEs from 5 European countries, with a total number of 14 funded projects. This call aimed to support the development of innovative cross-sectoral and cross-border technologies, services or products addressing the 22 challenges identified in 4 key Blue Growth domains: Smart Port, Smart Ship, Smart Shipyard and Maritime Surveillance.
Here is a summary of each project, depending on the Voucher type: Development and technology transfer projects (already finished) and Prototyping and Large-scale demonstrator projects (on-going)
Prototyping and Large-scale demonstrator projects
PyCHARGE
Brief description
Winner of a direct GALATEA grant to carry out prototyping activities, the PyCHARGE project combines the expertise of three innovative companies:
- The know-how of Notilo Plus, a specialist in the design, manufacture and operation of AUVs, in charge of the qualification of needs and prototype studies.
- PYTHEAS Technology’s piezoelectric generators to power the docking station using marine currents, and the expertise of the Greek SME FEAC Engineering in hydrodynamic numerical simulation and complex marine systems.
Aims of the project
The project team proposes to develop an underwater docking and recharging station that would allow batteries to be recharged directly at sea. This has never been done before due to the lack of an underwater energy production source.
Progress to date
The project started in September 2021 and will last 12 months. To date, the specifications of the docking station and the piezoelectric generation system have been defined and a numerical model to simulate the behaviour of the piezoelectric generator in marine currents has been built. The first hydrodynamic simulations are underway, as well as the pre-design of the docking station. The manufacture and testing of the prototype will be carried out in the course of 2022.
So far the GALATEA grant has enabled the PYCHARGE partners to limit the risks associated with the development of a solution that still presents technological obstacles, by combining skills and know-how that would otherwise have been difficult to bring together.
SUIPOL
Brief description
The SUIPOL project combines the experience in the waters of West Africa of Aguila Technologies with the services of Inkoa Sistemas for the establishment of a safety system at sea by Early warning systems, to strengthen the conservation of fishery resources and to monitor the pollution of maritime waters around the world.
Aims of the project
The project will develop a solution for detecting pollution at sea by using sensors (turbidity, pH, salinity, conductivity and temperature) interconnected to the on-board system to upload data to a central supervision platform. The sensors should be able to record in real time the parameters of pollution contained in seawater then transmit them in real time to the on-board system via short distance communications.
The supervision platform should be able to translate all the data sent by the sensors and display them in real time into an interactive map. It should also make it possible to prevent risk zones in the event that pollution is detected.
Progress to date
In the first stage of the SUIPOL project, the partners worked with the help of a collaborator on a preparatory phase aiming at analyzing all the different components of the targeted ecosystem. It includes the overall maritime pollution and its measurement methods, algal pollution, the use of marine sensors or measurement systems and the study of water quality by satellite. This preparation segment was supported by several activities such as workshops with experts and exchanged with specialized suppliers to target the right level of detail they can obtain via satellite and in-water data.
In parallel, the partners have made significant progress on the development of a pollution sensor and on the development of the monitoring platform. This platform, which will integrate satellite data and data from the sea, will eventually enable continuous monitoring of the coastline in order to protect fishermen from contamination by abnormal pollution on the African and French coasts.
This has been a review of the 1st Call for Vouchers Prototyping and Large-scale demonstrator projects. We will inform you about new news soon. Meanwhile, keep an eye on our website and social media for latest news on the projects.
Feel free to contact us for any additional information: info@galateaproject.eu