COWI has secured the role of owner’s engineer for Statkraft’s North Irish Sea Array (NISA) offshore wind farm project.
The company will support Statkraft in preparing an auction application for the first offshore competition under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS-1) in Ireland.
COWI will be responsible for a broad scope of work for the proposed NISA wind farm, including foundation concept design, electrical design, construction, O&M port assessment and cost model development.
Working against challenges in the marketplace, such as rising materials costs and pressures to increase renewable energy capacity, keeping the levelised cost of energy (LCoE) at the forefront of the application will be central to all work on the project, said COWI.
Damian McGirr, Senior Market Director, COWI in the UK, said: “We work on landmark wind developments across the globe, and we’re delighted to be able to partner our international expertise with our local experience to ensure the best outcomes for our clients.
“Against the backdrop of a global energy crisis and inflationary pressures, projects like this become even more crucial in creating a cleaner, greener, and more secure future for those living in Ireland.”
Once operational, the NISA development will have the capacity to power over 500,000 homes with clean energy.
COWI and Statkraft are working to submit a bid by the end of 2022, ahead of the auction which is due to take place in the first half of 2023.