TGS to launch wind and metocean measurement campaign

The campaign’s first floating LiDAR buoy will be deployed in the Utsira Nord zone and conduct wind, metocean, and environmental measurements to enhance decision-making for the three floating wind project areas to be awarded in Norway’s first floating wind lease round.

TGS’ multi-client approach, where multiple customers can subscribe to the same floating LiDAR data, provides a significant advantage for offshore wind developers by reducing development costs and timelines and providing a unique, early opportunity to minimise uncertainty in future energy generation.

The TGS buoy will deliver a comprehensive suite of data over a 12-month measurement campaign with the option to extend for an additional year. In addition to wind speed measurements, the data package includes critical metocean and environmental data, such as significant wave heights, ocean current profiles, and acoustic monitoring of birds and bats.

Data will be continuously streamed, quality-controlled, and available to customers daily through the Wind AXIOM platform, TGS' comprehensive site evaluation and wind data analytics tool. Wind AXIOM allows wind developers and stakeholders to constrain the most influential factors affecting the viability of offshore wind projects, improving the quality and speed of decisions.

Jan Schoolmeesters, EVP of Digital Energy Solutions at TGS, commented: “TGS is very pleased with the high level of interest and commitment from the offshore wind consortia competing in the Utsira Nord lease round for the measurement campaign. The data, combined with analytics through our Wind AXIOM platform, are expected to significantly enhance the decision-making and risk-reduction ability of all stakeholders investing in this region's offshore wind development future.”

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre kicked off Norway's first-ever offshore wind lease round in March-Applications for leases are to be submitted by early September, with awards expected in December.

Utsira Nord marks the fifth global deployment of TGS multi-client floating LiDARs but is the first aimed at floating wind development, being situated in approximately 270 m of water depth. The previous four are active off the US East Coast in the emerging wind energy lease areas, with more on the way.

At Utsira Nord, TGS will utilise a lidar buoy provided by Eolos, which is validated to Stage 3 criteria of the Carbon Trust's Offshore Wind Accelerator Roadmap for Commercial Acceptance. In addition, TGS will deploy a Datawell Directional WaveRider buoy to cross-validate the fatigue limit state (FLS) wave response and measurements.

The TGS buoy will be available to view at the Floating Wind Days conference, organised by Norwegian Offshore Wind, before being deployed at Utsira Nord in early June.

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