Fugro to Gather Metocean Data for Ørsted’s Australian Offshore Wind Farms

October 10, 2024, by Adnan Memija

Ørsted has selected the Dutch geo-data specialist Fugro to carry out a floating LiDAR measurement campaign for its Gippsland offshore wind farms in Australia.

For twelve months, Fugro’s SEAWATCH Wind LiDAR Buoy will measure wind, wave, current, and meteorological parameters to help assess the viability of Ørsted’s wind farms located off Gippsland in Australia’s state of Victoria.

Metocean data will be transferred in real time to give the client early insight into site conditions, followed by monthly reports.

“This is a key step in getting our Gippsland project development well and truly underway. By developing a deep understanding of the metocean conditions, we will be able to design a world class project to maximise the amount of green energy and value delivered for Victoria”, said Albert Quan, Ørsted’s head of Market Development for Australia.

The SEAWATCH Wind LiDAR Buoy captures high-accuracy measurements of wind speed and direction up to 300 metres above sea level. According to Fugro, the system was the first to gain a Stage 3 rating in line with the Carbon Trust roadmap for the commercial acceptance of floating LiDAR technology.

Ørsted was one of the first companies to secure a feasibility licence for offshore wind projects proposed to be built offshore Gippsland. The licences provide the Danish company with site exclusivity to develop the two offshore wind sites.

The project sites are located between 56 and 100 kilometres from land off the coast of Gippsland.

Ørsted estimates the cluster has the potential to generate a combined 4.8 GW of renewable energy, which can eventually power the equivalent of four million Australian homes.

The potential capacities for the project are 2.8 GW in licence area 1 and 2 GW in licence area 2.