Esvagt co-founder backs AI startup

DENMARK: The co-founder of vessels supplier Esvagt, Kent Kirk, has invested in a Danish artificial intelligence (AI) company that specialises in blade monitoring.

by David Weston 3 July 2018

Wind Power Lab uses artificial intelligence to produce blade condition reports from survey photographs

Wind Power Lab was established in October 2016, with CEO Anders Røpke, and received backing from the Danish Innovation Fund in 2017.

Now Kirk, former Danish fisheries minster and co-founder of Esvagt, is backing the firm.

According to Wind Power Lab, in 2015 Kirk sold his stake in Esvagt, which has provided turbine manufacturers with service operation vessels, for DKK 4.1 billion (€550 million).

"By using AI, Wind Power Lab automates an otherwise heavy workflow that could eventually result in loss of green electricity production.

"Wind Power Lab's development will continue in the future, both within wind turbines blades, as well as within other parts of the wind turbine industry and joint venture industry collaborations, "said Kirk.

The company uses artificial intelligence to process the large amount of data from blade condition monitoring images being taken by project operators.

It claims the use of AI "creates value" from the inspection work by speeding up and automating the processing.