GDANSK, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Poland’s biggest oil refiner PKN Orlen ( PKN.WA ) has invested in two companies that improve wind turbine efficiency and conduct automated infrastructure inspections.
The investments in Eologix Sensor Technology and Invert Robotics Group were made by PKN Orlen’s venture capital fund Orlen VC, the company said on Thursday.
Orlen did not disclose the value of the investments.
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Austria-based Eologix sensor technology measures turbine blade angles, turbine element positioning and ice detection systems, helping to increase turbine efficiency by up to 20-30%, Orlen said in a statement.
The system can be installed on new and existing turbines.
Ireland-based Invert Robotics Group develops machines that automate the inspection processes of industrial infrastructure necessary to extend its lifespan. These tasks are currently performed by technicians in an expensive and risky process, Orlen said.
“Finding innovation and effectively implementing it determines Orlen Group’s competitive position,” company CEO Daniel Obajtek said in a statement.
He first announced his investments in a tweet.
Orlen’s VC portfolio also includes industrial cyber security solutions provider ICSec.
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Reporting by Carol Badohall and Patricia Zaras; Edited by Edmund Blair and Jane Merriman
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
