The Centre for Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CRIS), University of Limerick, hosted the IEA Wind Topical Expert Meeting (TEM) on Automated Robotics for Wind Farms on 20th and 21st October. The event represented a key step toward shaping a globally coordinated research effort in autonomous systems for wind energy operations and maintenance.
The two-day hybrid meeting was attended by 40 participants from 10 countries, who had the opportunity to listen to 18 speakers from around the world. The TEM brought together leading international experts to explore shared challenges and research priorities across aerial, surface, subsea, and ground-based robotic platforms.
Discussions focused on critical enablers such as:
- Levels of autonomy
- Communication systems
- AI integration
- Safety validation
- Regulatory frameworks
- Multi-platform interoperability
This was not just about raising awareness — it was about aligning minds to tackle real-world technical barriers and explore practical pathways for innovation and collaboration.
Key goals of the meeting included:
- Defining the scope and structure of a potential new IEA Wind Task on autonomous robotics.
- Developing a briefing or roadmap highlighting technical challenges and coordination needs.
- Establishing links with related initiatives across IEA Technology Collaboration Programmes (TCPs).
- Identifying early contributors and supporting countries/institutions for the Task proposal preparation.
As hosts, we were delighted to see this meeting acted as both a catalyst and convergence point, paving the way for long-term global collaboration under the IEA Wind TCP.
Special thanks for preparing and running this meeting to Gerard Dooly, CRIS Co-director. and Sébastien Daviet from IEAWind for his support.
A big thanks to all participants for their insights, energy, and commitment to driving innovation in this crucial area of clean energy technology.
We look forward to future collaborations and the potential establishment of a new Task under IEA Wind.
