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- Funded by: European Commission – 7th Framework Progamme
- In cooperation with:
- Reference Name: HexaTerra
- Period: 2012 – September 2015
- More Information: HexaTerra Website
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Offshore wind and tidal energy generation is becoming an increasingly important component of the world’s energy mix. Continued strong growth is predicted. However, a growing problem is manifesting itself within the industry. The submarine cables that are an essential infrastructural component of offshore energy now account for 80% of insurance claims related offshore renewables. Unfortunately, current practice is to simply lay these cables on top of the seabed without burial or protection, as the traditional tracked trenching machines originally developed for deep sea oil and gas applications are inadequate for the harsh coastal terrain. Cables are therefore exposed to numerous risks such as tidal forces, rock abrasion, snagging from fishing nets etc. Existing technologies cannot address this growing problem. HexaTerra will develop a novel solution to the problem that builds upon recent advances made in ‘stepping’ locomotion systems for traversing undulated harsh terrain. Using this solution the project expects to comprehensively address the problem of damage to subsea energy cables, thereby maximising offshore energy reliability, maintain renewable energy affordability, & minimise the marine environmental impact of cables.