Enterprize Energy has contracted Fugro and Vietnamese partner PTSC to install floating lidar survey technology at the site of the 3400MW Thang Long offshore wind farm, the first time such technology has been used in Vietnam.
Fugro’s Seawatch Wind lidar buoy will collect wind resource, meteorological and oceanographic data across the 2000km squared project site over the next 12 months.
The technology – comprising the Seawatch Wavescan Buoy as a platform into which the ZX 300M lidar is integrated – will track air pressure, humidity, air and water temperature, wave height and current,
It will receive support from a guard vessel that will also track fishery activity and supplementary ocean data from its own onboard sensors.
Enterprize Energy said the installation of floating lidar marks the next step in the surveying process for Thang Long, the only large-scale offshore wind farm to be granted a survey licence by the Vietnamese government.
Full-year wind data measurements have been collected via fixed lidar to assess resources over the allocated area, with reconnaissance surveys to support the project team’s understanding of geological and seabed features having taken place earlier this year.
Enterprize Energy said these surveys have confirmed there will be no reduction in prospective area due to unsuitable seabed features such as basalt intrusions, based on initial results.
Enterprize Energy chairman Ian Hatton said: “Contracting Fugro and their local partner PTSE to install the first floating lidar technology in Vietnam at the Thang Long project site was a natural decision for us.
“The data the team will collect is central to informing the next stages in Thang Long’s development process, including long-term financial modelling and power purchase agreements.
“The results from our initial marine survey demonstrate that, as we had predicted during our proposal for a survey license, a majority of the seabed throughout the Thang Long Zone is suitable for placing turbines.
“Now, we can quantify how much energy can be generated throughout the project based on using all of the seabed we initially planned to build on.
“We are delighted to have taken another step towards harnessing the incredible wind resource off the coast of Binh Thuan, bringing a further 3.4GW of renewables into Vietnam’s energy mix and opening up the opportunity for even more green energy capacity as we explore the potential for energy storage.
“We have lain the foundation upon which the full potential of the Thang Long zone can be released for the benefit of the Vietnamese people, in line with national planning and policies.”
PTSC director Truong Tuan Nghia said: “Today’s signing ceremony shows our respect for the cooperation with Enterprize Energy, and this is an important milestone for our next steps in the future.
“PTSC G&S believes that, with the experience of leading experts, technical facilities and high-class equipment, can provide the best service in developing the Thang Long wind project.
“With the support from Enterprize Energy, together with our long-standing partner – Fugro Singapore Marine, and commitment from all levels of our organization,
“PTSC G&S is fully confident that the project will be completed within the agreed time schedule, to the highest quality and safety standards.”
The first 600MW phase of 3.4GW Thang Long is due to come online by the end of 2025, with further phases developed on a rolling basis.