Vineyard Wind LiDAR Campaign Starts

Vineyard Wind is deploying a wind measurement and oceanographic buoy within the project area of its proposed 800MW offshore wind project located 14 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

The buoy will measure a number of parameters, including wind speed at different heights above the water, wave heights and frequency, and ocean currents, to aid in the final design of Vineyard Wind’s generating station.

A Seawatch Wind LiDAR Buoy, designed and built by Fugro Norway AS in Trondheim, will be deployed at the site on Tuesday, 22 May, to allow low power laser technology to measure wind speeds with high precision over a range of altitudes above the instrument.

The unit, commonly known as Floating LiDAR buoy, will also be operated by Fugro over the course of its deployment.

“Deployment of this measurement equipment is an important part of our plan to obtain permits, finalize the project design, and begin construction in 2019, so that we can be fully operational in 2021,” said Erich Stephens, Chief Development Officer for Vineyard Wind.

Vineyard Wind’s Floating LiDAR buoy will be deployed by the tugboat Kodiak, which is owned and operated by the company 41°North Offshore and is based on Fish Island in New Bedford Harbor.

“We’re excited to be taking part in the Vineyard Wind project at the beginning of the offshore wind industry here in New Bedford,” said Captain Matthew Fisher, owner and managing partner of 41°North Offshore, who will captain the Kodiak during the deployment.

Vineyard Wind is one of the three projects vying for a part, if not all, of the 800MW capacity offered under the state’s first Request For Proposals.

The Massachusetts regulators and utilities have until Wednesday, 23 May, to decide which of the three projects will be moving forward.