Specifically, the goal of DURABLE is to accelerate the performance of renewable energies through the validation and demonstration of aerospace technologies applied in robotics for operation and maintenance activities of wind and solar energy systems. The application of this technology will automate inspection and repair tasks, reducing costs and favoring production.

This project is led by the Ecole Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées (ESTIA) of France and it has an important Basque presence, since it includes three Basque partners: Alerion Technologies, Lortek S. Coop. and the Basque Energy Cluster.

The full name of the project is 'Drones and maintenance robots for the promotion of renewable energies in the Atlantic area'. For the first time, this project 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, to adapt them afterward. DURABLE will conclude with the realization of a model and a test of the solution in a pilot project.
 

The common challenge addressed by DURABLE in the Interreg Atlantic Area framework 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 is below the average of the European Union (EU) in the consumption of energy from renewable sources. Countries need to update their renewable energy production technologies to overcome these challenges.

The DURABLE project is formed by a consortium that brings together 10 partners from the 5 Atlantic countries divided into: 7 technological centers / universities, 2 clusters and 1 industrial partner. In addition, other 6 associated entities participate through an Advisory Board.

The project partners are as follows:

Technological centers / universities

• Ecole Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées (ESTIA) – France (líder)
• Centro Avanzado de Tecnologías Aeroespaciales (CATEC) – Spain
• Dublin City University (DCU)– Ireland
• Instituto Superior Técnico (IST)– Portugal
• Lortek S. Coop – Spain
• Universidad de Sevilla (US)– Spain
• University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) – United Kingdom

Clusters

• Clúster Vasco de Energía (CEPV) – Spain
• Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía (CTA) –Spain

Industrial partners

• Alerion Technologies – Spain

Advisory Board

• Abengoa Energía – Spain
• Cluster Drones AETOS – France
• Altran – France
• Drona`tech – France
• Agencia IDEA – Spain
• Sociedad para la Transformación Competitiva (SPRI) – Spain