Site impact and legislative evaluation
Assessing the visual, audible and environmental impact of the proposed wind farm is essential in the permitting process and confirms assurance and support from local stakeholders. The legislative process and associated approvals related to key site considerations is also required, such as, existing local infrastructure, existing rights of servitude and access, pre-existing license agreements, navigational routes, etc. To ensure timely completion of the initial offshore wind farm development phase with a constantly evolving concept design, a broad site impact and legislative evaluation scope is key. Our comprehensive consultancy services are adaptable to the evolving concept design to meet your project requirements.
Coastal process assessment
The impact of erosion and sedimentation progressively caused by natural processes and by the addition of an offshore wind farm is critical in the site appraisal and concept design phase. This will affect the reliability of the built wind farm and potential changes to the coastline over time. Our extensive Geo-data and supporting services enable us to assess and advise on the impact your offshore wind farm development may have on the coastline.
Site investigation surveys
- Environmental measurement and insights - required throughout the offshore wind farm life cycle, especially within the site assessment and permitting process, as it can affect the location and assurance of project milestones.
- Measuring and modelling metocean factors - Using metocean buoys we measure wind resource to ensure generation capacity is maximised through the site location and concept design, and for improved levelised cost and revenue of energy for your project.
- Early insights into seabed geomorphology, bathymetry and geology - through desktop studies, geophysical and geotechnical surveys, and utilising our industry-leading 2D and 3D seismic solutions, ensure a lower build cost and derisks the foundation, inter-array and export cable route design.
There are two key phases during the early development of any offshore wind farm, which the site appraisal and concept design solutions apply.
Site appraisal for resource assessment, site refinement and permitting
Wind resource mapping
Understanding wind resource is key towards the economic model for the offshore wind farm development. Acquiring high resolution wind resource data across the site can impact the decision of a wind farm being bid or not.
Morphological studies
Morphological studies and the movement of the seabed is a critical design parameter to assess current and future potential scour impact, risk of infrastructure de-burial and possible failure to the offshore wind farm.
Management of marine species and habitat
Monitoring and management of marine mammals and other species throughout the design and installation phases is essential to an environmentally conscious development. It is important to assess the impact and develop a strategy during the site appraisal stage to mitigate potential risks to protect the surrounding environment.
Permitting
Several stages of an offshore wind farm development require stakeholder management, agreement and permitting before the development can proceed. Input to this process includes above parameters and are key to successful commencement of the development.
Concept Design
Ground model and consultancy
The development of a ground model is key to understand the site parameters and the development of the array concept. A detailed understanding of the available and acquired data through access to expert advice can be the economical difference between a profitable concept design and one that is not bid at all.
Geophysical characterisation
Conducting geophysical surveys at offshore wind farm sites, turbine locations and planned routes for the power cable is essential to understand the geomorphology and sub-surface characteristics and is used to further refine the ground model.
Geotechnical characterisation
In situ geotechnical testing, sampling and coring combined with geotechnical sample and core tests conducted within our in-house laboratories helps to characterise ground conditions at your offshore wind farm site and inform the ground model.
Boulder detection
An understanding of locations and size of boulders is important, as it can impact the concept design and installation phases requiring contingencies to be accommodated. This includes, the turbine locations, engineering design specifications, and potential engineering risks.