Irish Seek Environmental Surveys for Floating Wind Turbine

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has launched a tender seeking environmental surveying services required for the development of a floating offshore wind turbine at the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS).

SEAI is inviting proposals from individuals or organizations for the provision of marine ecology services at AMETS for the purposes of the installation and operation of the floating wind turbine.

The tender is divided into three lots, including ornithology, marine mammals and benthos.

The review should identify gaps between the existing baseline data and that required to facilitate deployment of the floating wind turbine.

Interested parties are free to submit applications until 26 August by 12:00 local time. The duration of the contract is 27 months, with no options for renewal.

This March, a consortium led by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) secured funding to test Saipem’s floating wind technology at SEAI’s AMETS site offshore Ireland’s west coast.

The EUR 31 million Accelerating Market Uptake of Floating Offshore Wind Technology (AFLOWT) project is expected to demonstrate the survivability and cost-competitiveness of floating offshore wind. Deployment is planned for 2022.