SBM Offshore has entered into a global collaboration agreement with Microsoft to develop standardised, AI-powered carbon-free floating power solutions. The two companies believe their collaboration could transform industrial electrification by combining SBM Offshore’s expertise in scalable ocean energy infrastructure and Microsoft’s leadership in AI, cloud computing and digital sustainability solutions.
The collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of floating power generation units while overcoming what it sees as the barriers inherent in conventional solutions to decarbonise industrial energy use. It will explore new ways to integrate cloud-based solutions, advanced analytics and AI into floating power generation. Through AI-powered asset lifecycle assessment, real-time carbon measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and predictive maintenance powered by Microsoft’s Copilot, Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry and Fabric, SBM Offshore’s floating solutions will aim to enhance system reliability, optimise energy efficiency and flexibility, reduce time to commission and operational costs.
The first phase will focus on deploying floating gas power solutions with integrated carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the UK continental shelf and Norwegian continental shelf, in collaboration with Norway’s Ocean-Power AS. This model is also expected to serve as a blueprint for global expansion, supporting energy security and decarbonisation objectives across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas.
SBM Offshore’s CBO Olivier Icyk, said: “[through] this agreement with Microsoft, we will be able to identify the best approach for industries to achieve firm, scalable, and investment-ready clean energy solutions”.
