Fugro has been chosen by Orsted to undertake a 12-month floating lidar measurement campaign for their Gippsland offshore wind farms, off south coast Gippsland, Victoria.
Fugro’s advanced SEAWATCH Wind Lidar Buoy will measure wind, wave, current and meteorological parameters to help assess the viability of the developer’s wind farms off the region’s coast.
High quality metocean data will be transferred in real time to give the client early insight into site conditions, followed by monthly reports. Fugro’s local presence and supply chain is leading the delivery of the turnkey solution, which also includes equipment supply, installation, operations and maintenance.
The SEAWATCH Wind Lidar Buoy (pictured) captures high accuracy measurements of wind speed and direction up to 300 metres above sea level.
The system was the first to gain a Stage 3 rating in line with the Carbon Trust roadmap for the commercial acceptance of floating lidar technology.
This certifies its suitability as a source of wind speed data for investment decisions for offshore wind farm development.
Orsted Head of Market Development for Australia Albert Quan said: “This is a key step in getting our Gippsland project development well and truly underway.
“By developing a deep understanding of the metocean conditions, we will be able to design a world class project to maximise the amount of green energy and value delivered for Victoria.
Metocean, Pacific Service Line Manager Simon Foster added: “We are excited to partner with Orsted on this project.
“The Orsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy; this aligns perfectly with Fugro’s purpose to create a safe and liveable world.
“Our extensive track record in collecting metocean data across Australia and globally ensures that we are well-equipped to contribute valuable insights to this project.”