News

Real-time AI wildlife monitoring for one of the world's largest tidal stream projects

Chris Wallard — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Tidal stream energy offers something few renewable sources can: power that is entirely predictable, from a resource the UK is exceptionally well placed to develop. Realising that potential depends on demonstrating that tidal turbines can operate safely alongside the seals, dolphins, fish and diving seabirds that share these waters.

HydroWing Ltd, the tidal energy division of Inyanga Marine Energy Group, has now signed a contract with Ecodetect to introduce AI-driven environmental monitoring to its pioneering tidal stream project at Morlais, off the coast of Anglesey.

Performance and responsibility, side by side

Inyanga's 30MW project, backed by both the Welsh and UK governments, will use the company's patented HydroWing technology. Continuous environmental monitoring will form an integral part of how the project operates, supporting both ecological protection and energy performance.

"Tidal energy projects operate in sensitive marine environments. Ecodetect's AI-driven monitoring solutions will help us balance performance and environmental responsibility. By continuously detecting marine life interactions and assessing infrastructure activity, we will be able to minimise ecological risks while maximising energy efficiency."

Richard Parkinson, CEO, Inyanga Marine Energy Group

How it works

Our surface and seabed sensor systems combine underwater cameras and sonar, and integrate directly with offshore renewable energy infrastructure. The AI processes data as it is collected, automatically distinguishing marine wildlife from seaweed, debris and algae. Our marine communications network then relays the results in real time, so operators can trigger mitigation protocols the moment they are needed.

An Ecodetect monitoring buoy at sea, relaying data ashore in real time.

The same data builds a continuous evidence record, giving developers what they need to demonstrate compliance with UK, EU and international environmental standards.

"Tidal energy will only reach its full potential if it can show it works in harmony with marine life. Inyanga is already leading the world in tidal stream development. With real-time AI monitoring, it can lead the way on environmental protection too."

Dr David Gold, CEO, Ecodetect

An Anglesey story

Morlais is the largest consented tidal stream energy scheme in Europe. It is owned by social enterprise Menter Môn and managed by Menter Môn Morlais Ltd. Like Morlais, Ecodetect is based on Anglesey, at M-SParc in Gaerwen.

"The deployment of the HydroWing project will be a key milestone for offshore renewable energy in Wales and the UK. It is great that the project will embed state-of-the-art environmental monitoring, supplied by Ecodetect, an innovative tech company also based on Anglesey. This is a superb example of local sourcing, which will bring further momentum to the North Wales economy, generating new jobs and social value."

Andy Billcliff, Chief Executive, Menter Môn Morlais Ltd

What's next

The first HydroWing device is due to be deployed at Morlais in 2027. When the project is complete in 2030, it will comprise 18 devices, each generating 1.67MW, making it one of the largest tidal stream projects in the world, with real-time wildlife monitoring integrated from the outset.

Working on an offshore renewables project?

Find out how real-time AI monitoring can help your project coexist safely with marine life. Get in touch with our team or email info@ecodetect.co.uk.

Pâl and Gwylan head to sea: live seabed monitoring trial begins in South Wales

Chris Wallard — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMT

On 2 October, our team was in South Wales to deploy two new members of the Ecodetect fleet. Our seabed lander Pâl (Welsh for puffin) and communications buoy Gwylan (seagull) went into the water for a two-week data acquisition campaign.

Live imaging from the seabed

Pâl sits on the seabed with an onboard video camera and active sonar system, continuously capturing what is happening around it. Rather than storing that data for someone to retrieve and review weeks later, Pâl transmits live imaging data up to its floating companion, Gwylan, which relays it ashore in real time.

Why real time matters

Offshore developments carry strict obligations to protect marine life, from early site surveys through construction and operation. Pâl and Gwylan are designed to automate that work: detecting marine life activity as it happens and triggering the right mitigation protocols, without relying on manual observation or delayed analysis. The result is faster decisions, stronger evidence for regulators, and projects that can coexist safely with the wildlife around them.

What happened next

Over the following two weeks, the campaign gathered data to put the system through its paces in real offshore conditions. We'll share what we learned soon.

[Video of the deployment to be added]

Thank you

Many thanks to our incredible technical team, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and Câr-Y-Môr for helping deliver this project, and to the local seal who came along to supervise.

Planning an offshore project?

Find out how Ecodetect's real-time monitoring can help your project coexist safely with marine life. Email info@ecodetect.co.uk or get in touch with our team.

Watching Northern Ireland's first floating oyster reef come to life

info@ecodetect.co.uk (Ecodetect) — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Native oyster reefs once lined Northern Ireland's coast, but overharvesting, habitat loss, disease and pollution left the European flat oyster close to disappearing. Ulster Wildlife is working to bring it back, and its newest project gives the oysters, and everything that lives alongside them, a real head start.

A reef above the seabed

Northern Ireland's first floating oyster reef has been launched at Glenarm Marina in north Antrim. Developed by Ulster Wildlife with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, and funded by DAERA through the carrier bag levy, the custom-built structure recreates a natural oyster reef just above the seabed. It already supports around 10,000 juvenile oysters and 200 adults, with early survival rates above 80%.

Seeing who visits, day and night

Our camera system sits beside the reef, recording the mobile species that come to visit and interact with it around the clock. In its first three months it logged more than 7,000 wildlife detections, from gobies sheltering among the structure to black guillemots diving down to feed.

A black guillemot dives past our camera at the Glenarm reef.

That evidence complements Ulster Wildlife's own research on the smaller, less mobile residents of its oyster nursery, such as sea slugs and worms, building a fuller picture of how quickly a restored reef becomes a thriving habitat. As Dr Nick Baker Horne, Marine Conservation Manager at Ulster Wildlife, put it, the team can now "see what species are interacting with this floating reef, day and night".

What's next

Ulster Wildlife plans to use the reef to grow washed-up seagrass and replant it, strengthening the local seagrass meadow at Glenarm. We're proud to be part of the project and look forward to sharing what the cameras reveal as the reef matures.

Read the full story in The Independent, or find out more about our work with Ulster Wildlife.

Monitoring a restoration project?

Find out how continuous, AI-assisted monitoring can show the impact of your work. Email info@ecodetect.co.uk or get in touch with our team.

From Top 7 to European champions: Ecodetect wins ClimateLaunchpad Europe 2025

info@ecodetect.co.uk (Ecodetect) — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 09:00:00 GMT

In September 2025, Ecodetect was named European champion of ClimateLaunchpad, the world's largest green business competition, and the top ClimateTech start-up in Europe for 2025.

Making the Magnificent 7

The competition was fierce. More than 400 start-ups applied across Europe, 2,773 worldwide, and over 30 regional semi-finalists went forward. Early in September we were selected as one of the Top 7 start-ups in Europe, alongside ISONIK, Neela Biotech, Biowerkz GmbH, WeLOOP, Beaver Nexus and Wingtap.

Crowned European champions

At the European finals, we were announced as the winner. That earned us a place among the world's top eight start-ups at the Global Grand Final in Vienna in October 2025, where we represented Europe on the global stage.

For a young company, the recognition matters. It is independent validation that AI-driven marine monitoring can help energy and environmental projects move faster while protecting the wildlife around them.

Thank you

Many thanks to Undaunted, Climate-KIC, Bank of America and Irish Aid for their support throughout the programme, and congratulations to all our fellow finalists.

Want to know more?

Find out how Ecodetect's monitoring systems work on our technology page, or get in touch with our team.

Exploring new technology for offshore energy with AMRC Cymru

info@ecodetect.co.uk (Ecodetect) — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT

In August 2025 we visited our friends at AMRC Cymru, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in North Wales, to see how advanced manufacturing, robotics and virtual reality could be applied to offshore wind and other ocean energy projects.

Why it matters for marine monitoring

Offshore monitoring systems have to be robust, reliable and practical to build, deploy and maintain in tough conditions. Seeing the latest manufacturing, robotics and simulation tools up close gave us plenty of ideas for how our sensor platforms could be designed, tested and produced as we scale.

Thank you

Many thanks to Andrew Martin and Matthew Booth for showing us around, and to Debbie Jones, the Offshore Energy Alliance and Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government for organising the visit.

Working on an offshore energy project?

Find out how Ecodetect can help your project monitor and protect marine life. Get in touch with our team.

Celebrating our first birthday as North Wales StartUp of the Year

info@ecodetect.co.uk (Ecodetect) — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 09:00:00 GMT

We marked our first anniversary in July 2025 in the best possible way: by winning North Wales StartUp of the Year at the regional finals of the UK StartUp Awards in Cardiff.

A year in the making

The awards evening fell exactly one year after Ecodetect was founded. Having our first year of work recognised, and spending the night with so many inspiring founders making a positive impact, was a fitting way to celebrate.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. We have no doubt you will go on to great things.

Thank you

Many thanks to Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE and Frankie James for creating such a fantastic initiative, and to M-SParc and all the event sponsors for their support.

Find out more

See what we have been building since on our technology page, or meet the team.