Weco secures grant for renewables-powered offshore charging hub

The Hague-based Wave Energy Collective (Weco) has secured funding under the EKOO TSE Electricity 2024 program, backed by the Dutch Ministry of Climate and Green Growth’s Topsector Energiesubsidie initiative, to advance a renewables-driven offshore charging solution for autonomous vessels.

According to Weco, the E-Sea Charging project will focus on developing a charging station that harnesses solar and wave energy to supply power for vehicles operating offshore.

The company said that the initiative aims to enhance the operational efficiency of autonomous systems, including drones, uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) while cutting reliance on fossil fuels and reducing the need for human intervention in offshore operations.

The project is being developed in partnership with Campusatsea, Lobster Robotics, DEMCON unmanned systems, Holland Shipyards Group, and Coastruction, and is expected to bolster safer, sustainable, and cost-efficient offshore operations.

In December 2024, Weco reached a milestone in the development of its Kaizen wave energy converter (WEC), as the device generated its first power. The company collaborated with Deltares, a Netherlands-based research institute, during this phase of development.