The use of sensors is essential for monitoring and understanding the marine environment and in particular for renewable energy technologies they provide essential information in terms of the behaviour and operation of devices. In existing field deployments various issues have arisen with regard to the use of sensors mainly related to incorrect sensor selection as well as sensor failure or malfunction. Very often sensors are given low priority by developers and their selection is often based on cost rather than suitability for use in a marine environment. Much work needs to be done to modify the sensors to gather the optimal information that will best benefit marine renewable energy technologies. Time and resources are also required to install, collect and analysis the data. Selkie will optimise sensor selection procedures and demonstrate the benefit of good sensor selection in the wave and tidal pilot projects. In addition Selkie will modify and adapt off-the-shelf sensors for wave and tidal applications.

The aims of work in this WP is to enable better sensor selection, design and application, provide improved redundancy, reliability and flexibility, have low power requirements and costs.