Vineyard Wind has appointed Massachusetts-based environmental contractor Woods Hole Group to carry out research along the export cable corridor of its 800MW offshore project.
Data collected will influence the planning and engineering of the cable installation for the Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners JV off the Massachusetts coast.
Measuring and turbidity monitoring devices have now been placed at various points throughout the Muskeget Channel and Nantucket Sound.
Woods Hole Group utilized the local research vessel (R/V) Catapult (pictured), a 35-foot boat owned by Marine Imaging Technologies based out of Cataumet, Massachusetts, to deploy the instrumentation.
They will stay there for two complete lunar tidal cycles, after which they recovered by the R/V Catapult.
The captured data will be used to plan marine works ahead of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management releasing its final decision on the project on 18 December.
Italian manufacturer Prysmian Group will provide and install the 134km submarine power cable system to connect the site to the New England electrical grid.
Eventual landfall for the export cables will occur at Covells Beach in Barnstable.
Vineyard Wind’s chief development officer Rachel Pachter said: “We often talk about the positive direct impacts the offshore wind industry will have on the US economy, but it’s important to not overlook the benefits that will be derived by existing local companies who can expand their portfolio of work to accommodate this growing industry.
“We’re proud to partner with the Woods Hole Group on this important piece of data collection and look forward to working with many other maritime industry businesses for the foreseeable future.”
Woods Hole Group chief executive Bob Hamilton added: “Helping to bring clean, renewable energy to our region is an objective we are pleased to advance and is a core mission for our business.”