Massachusetts offshore wind developer Vineyard Wind is deploying a wind measurement and oceanographic buoy within the project area of its proposed 800 MW offshore wind project, located 14 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard.
The buoy, to be deployed on May 22, 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.
According to the developer, which is a 50/50 joint venture of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and Avangrid Renewables, the deployment of the SEAWATCH Wind LiDAR Buoy, commonly known as a FLIDAR buoy (floating LiDAR), will allow low-power laser technology to measure wind speeds with high precision over a range of altitudes above the instrument. The buoy was designed and built by Fugro, which will also operate it.
“Placement of the wind measurement buoy marks another step forward in development of the Vineyard Wind project,” says Erich Stephens, chief development officer of Vineyard Wind. “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.”
Vineyard Wind’s FLiDAR buoy will be deployed by the Kodiak tug boat, which is owned and
operated by 41°North Offshore and is based on Fish Island in Massachusetts’ 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,” says Captain Matthew Fisher, 41°North Offshore’s owner and managing partner, who will captain the Kodiak during the FLIDAR deployment.
