The 100MW Salamander floating wind project has partnered with two Scottish universities to investigate its potential impacts on marine ecosystems.
The PREDICT 2.0 initiative involves deployment of various sensors that can be used to help identify the potential impacts of floating wind farms on marine ecosystems, including the drivers of variation in fish movement and availability as prey.
The innovation package has now been deployed on the Salamander site, as was committed to during the project’s Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) bid.
Orsted, Simple Blue and Subsea7 are the joint venture developing the floater off Peterhead.
The sensors – which include a fluorometer and echosounder – are gathering data on fish presence and behaviour as part of a research programme led by the University of the Highlands and Islands’ (UHI) Environmental Research Institute and the University of Aberdeen.
When the programme is complete, the equipment will be fully removed.
Salamander’s innovation manager Tom Brown said: “This multi-year initiative aims to help us develop a deeper understanding of fish migration patterns and how these can be better monitored.
“The goal is to improve siting of offshore wind farms to minimise any impact on fish and their predators.
“We already know that the demand for offshore renewable infrastructure is increasing exponentially and by ensuring we can appropriately research new project locations, we can more sustainably build a path to a better energy future while protecting the environment.”
Associate professor of energy at UHI Benjamin Williamson said: “Marine sensing is vital to understand the environment around floating offshore wind farms.
“Robust information and evidence are needed to inform where offshore wind developments should be located to better protect marine ecosystems.
“This exciting research will help to understand the drivers of variation in fish movement and the potential for environmental interactions with offshore wind.”
In May, the project submitted its offshore consents application to the Scottish Government.
If consented, the scheme will provide insights and opportunities for the Scottish supply chain for future larger-scale developments in Scottish waters and further afield, ahead of the larger-scale ScotWind build out.