THE ROLE OF UNDERWATER ROBOTICS IN THE OFFSHORE ENERGY TRANSITION: SUPPORT FOR OFFSHORE WIND, GREEN HYDROGEN, AND CCS

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Offers a systematic literature review on underwater robotics applications across three offshore energy vectors, with an integrative framework for further research.

🏢実務担当者:Provides a mapping of ROV/AUV use cases that can guide investment and operational planning for offshore wind, hydrogen, and CCS projects.

🏛政策担当者:Proposes a governance-technology-operations framework that can support national energy transition policies, especially for maritime spatial planning and infrastructure integrity.

In recent years, the offshore energy transition has been structured around three main and interdependent vectors. The first is the expansion of offshore wind generation, which has become established as a renewable source with high energy capacity. The second concerns the development of green hydrogen (H₂) value chains and their derivatives, supported both by the availability of renewable electricity and by the strengthening of port infrastructure. The third vector refers to the advancement of carbon capture and geological storage initiatives (CCS/CCUS), which are increasingly recognized as relevant mitigation options for hard-to-abate sectors. Despite their specificities, these pathways share a common operational foundation that is strongly dependent on subsea activities, such as seabed surveys and inspections, installation and integrity verification of cables and pipelines, interventions in submerged structures, environmental monitoring, and risk management. In this context, underwater robotics, particularly remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), has assumed a central role as enabling technological infrastructure, as it supports cost reductions, enhances operational safety, and generates strategic information for regulatory and industrial decision-making. Based on a bibliographic review of studies developed in Brazil, including theses, dissertations, and scientific articles, this study systematizes evidence on the use of ROVs and AUVs to support offshore wind farms, on inspection and monitoring activities associated with offshore CCS, and on the interfaces between underwater robotics and green hydrogen pathways, especially with regard to infrastructure, asset integrity, and licensing processes. As a contribution, the article proposes an integrative analytical framework structured around the dimensions of governance, technology, and operations, aimed at supporting public policy design and industrial strategies by linking underwater robotics to energy security, sustainability, and the national interest.

• semanticscholar https://doi.org/10.69849/revistaft/ra10202602131928first seen 2026-05-06 00:02:52