Floating offshore wind provides the opportunity to harness electricity across vast swathes of ocean previously too deep for fixed-platform turbines. While this technology has the potential to significantly expand our renewable energy portfolio, more information is needed to better understand potential risks that may be posed to marine habitats and wildlife.

Innovative technologies play a key role in gaining this understanding and can help manage the environmental risks that may be present with the advent of floating offshore wind. Through innovation, potential effects can be minimized to ensure the sustainability of renewable energy to support the nation’s energy transition.

The objectives of this 3.5-year project are to (1) develop and validate a real-time integrated system in which multiple, complementary sensors work together to improve capacity for seabird and bat monitoring, detection, and identification and (2) improve the accuracy of the translation of blade-mounted sensor detections to indications of strike incidents. The integration of sensing technologies across macro-, meso-, and micro-scales will improve wildlife monitoring and seabird and bat collision risk model-based forecasting.

This project is part of a $17 million award to advance research for a robust, sustainable offshore wind industry and move California towards achieving its goal of 25 GW of floating offshore wind capacity by 2045. Learn more about the award and other projects: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/072623-california-regulators-provide-over-17-mil-in-offshore-wind-research-grant-funds

Integral Consulting Inc. is excited to be furthering science and technological innovation in the new territory of deep-water floating offshore wind during this historic energy transition.