Co-development and testing of novel wave energy converter

There are dozens of different wave energy devices being developed throughout the world, but few have reached full scale commercial operation. This is largely due to the fact that such devices usually either float on the surface relatively close to the shore, or are mounted on the sea shore, and are therefore highly prone to storm damage. A UK company has developed a wave energy device that sits 25 metres below the surface on the ocean floor, thus avoiding these problems. The device uses an omni-directional, fully-submerged oscillating water column to capture the average long period swell measuring three metres and above, that predominate around the Western approaches. The device has been tested in wave tank conditions and has been patented within the UK. The output is prodigious but needs to be physically proven. The UK company is seeking universities and companies located along the French coast, for example Normandy, Brittany and Bordeaux etc. The universities are hoped to have a department of marine studies and would be able to help co-develop and test the device in ocean conditions, via technical cooperation agreements. The French companies would be involved in engineering marine devices and would be asked to help co-develop and eventually manufacture a sea-faring model via manufacturing agreement.