A Scottish government body, Wave Energy Scotland (WES), has launched a call for Quick Connection Systems (QCS), with the aim of reducing the duration, cost and risk of offshore operations for connecting prototype wave energy converter devices to either its mooring system, electrical system, or moorings and electrical systems combined.

Development of a Quick Connection System will need to take into account the unique challenges of wave energy, including:

• Maintaining the device station‐keeping and/or a reliable electrical connection in operational and survival conditions,
• Minimizing the time on on-site and specialist vessel requirements,
• Maximizing the range of environmental conditions in which QCS operations may take place,
• Minimize the impact of QCS integration on the energy captured by the device,
• Saltwater environment including corrosion, erosion, and biofouling,
• Ensuring the safety, reliability, and repeatability of connection and disconnection operations.

Participants are expected from sectors with connection systems (electrical and structural), moorings and sub-sea cabling, oil and gas, electrical engineering, aerospace, space engineering, offshore wind, ROVs, sub-sea vessel stability and maneuvering and others. Key R&D players already engaged with the WES program are also expected.

Registration for the event that will happen on August 14, 2019 can be accessed here.