The collaboration will provide a critical approach on how to control noise transmission at sea and will help to safeguard marine life in addition to ensuring a sustainable project delivery. The 400 MW Horns Rev 3 wind farm, located off the coast of Denmark, is expected to generate enough renewable power to supply 450,000 households when fully operational.
The project will involve Energinet.dk taking on the installation of the substation for guiding the electricity into the onshore grid. The substation is scheduled for installation later this year and will be positioned on a four-legged jacket which will be put in place by pile driving. However, this activity exacerbates noise levels which could have a negative potential impact on marine life. Experts from Lloyd’s Register’s risk integrity, compliance and specialist risk consulting services group will undertake a pre-construction investigation and determine the site specific underwater sound propagation for the substation.
“We are proud to be playing a part in the Horns Rev 3 project which ties in seamlessly with our commitment to support the development of renewable energy as part of a growing energy mix” said Per Trøjgård Andersen, Technical Lead at Lloyd’s Register’s Consulting business. “Whilst offshore wind power is indeed an appealing technology for renewable energy, it is also essential that construction and operation of these wind farms respect the fragile marine environment. This is where we can apply our unique expertise in underwater noise.”
The consulting business of Lloyd’s Register will dispatch highly experienced acousticians to determine the site specific sound propagation using an airgun to trace an acoustic signal in proximity to the wind farm. This will enable Energinet.dk to utilise the captured data during the development of the project, ensuring that the noise impact on the nearby marine environment is considered and that mitigation measures are put in place if necessary.
The investigation conforms to the guidelines recently implemented by the Danish Energy Agency for Horns Rev 3, addressing the underwater noise impact from construction of offshore wind farms.
The first turbines at Horns Rev 3 are expected to be connected to the grid in 2017.
Lloyd’s Register (LR) is a global engineering, technical and business services organisation wholly owned by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a charity dedicated to research and education in science and engineering.
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