| Press Release dated 08 Mar 2012 MacArtney has developed an entirely new type of medium voltage wet mate connector designed especially for the offshore renewable energy market. The new 11 kV wet mate connector makes interconnection and connecting dynamic cables from offshore renewable energy converters to export cables faster and easier. Up to now, disconnecting or connecting cable terminations offshore has been a time-consuming and consequently expensive business and required bringing cables up on deck. Funded by ETI, MacArtney has developed, produced and tested the new 11 kV connector solution. MacArtneys wet mate connector eliminates the need to bring the cable to the surface for mating and de-mating, shortens the time needed for connection and makes it possible to operate in waters with limited time windows. This is particularly important for renewable energy devices where changing tides or wave action are often a critical factor in marine renewable deployments. Faster and easier terminations : Cables ends are terminated to an 11 kV connector pair before deployment and mechanically connected offshore. The mechanical connection of the two halves takes less than an hour a significant improvement on the time it normally takes to cut and splice cables offshore. This mechanical connection also makes it possible to connect and disconnect cables time and time again. The 11 kV termination can also be pre mounted onto cable ends for installation in two stages. Half of the system can be installed on the sea floor with a pressure cap mounted to the connector and the second half of the cable mated at a later stage. "We know what challenges renewable energy converters face Being involved with many large marine renewable energy projects over recent years has given MacArtney a deep understanding of the challenges and issues faced when connecting moving, dynamic devices to stationary export cables that transfer captured energy to the onshore grid." Grid compliant - The MacArtney 11 kV wet mate connector system is a fully tested and EN/CEI/IEC 60502-4 compliant connector solution specifically designed to meet the needs of the marine renewables industry and requirements from grid owners and utilities. Tests were witnessed by DnV (Det Norske Veritas) and real-sea tests performed off Falmouth, UK, in October 2011. The introduction of the wet mate 11 kV connector is an important part of the overall effort to bring down the cost of harnessing marine renewable energy to compete with other energy sources. |
