SSE Renewables deployed uncrewed boats for survey work

The XO-450 Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs), owned and operated by XOCEAN, performed multiple nearshore and offshore cable route surveys in water depths ranging from 0m to 60m, earlier this month. Onshore support was provided by local personnel from Marine Quest.

Commenting on the project, XOCEAN CEOJ ames Ives said: “Our USV platform has demonstrated itself to be a safe, reliable and low carbon solution for the collection of ocean data. We are delighted to be working with SSE Renewables on this project.”

The surveys allowed the project team to map a previously unknown rock ridge, located on the seabed and identify an alternative path for export cables. Identifying this alternative route early has ensured that there is no requirement for potentially intrusive measures on the rock ridge such as trenching, thus providing a much more environmentally friendly outcome for the project and local habitat, developer SSE Renewables said.

Louise Davis, Consents Team Manager for Berwick Bank Wind Farm, said: “These smaller, nimbler vessels have allowed the Berwick Bank project team to identify possible options for our export cable corridors, whilst avoiding damage to the local sea environment. We are especially delighted to be using innovative technology with a much-reduced carbon footprint.’’

The proposed Berwick Bank and Marr Bank wind farms would be located in the outer Firth of Forth, over 49km and 40km, respectively, off the Scottish coast.

The Berwick Bank project is expected to be 2.3GW and comprise of up to 242 offshore wind turbines. It would be capable of generating enough renewable energy to power 3.5 million homes annually, more than all the homes in Scotland, and reduce carbon emissions by 4 million tonnes each year, helping power Scotland’s push towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. Marr Bank is projected to be 1.85GW.

Throughout the survey, the data collected was monitored from shore in real-time by experts located in the UK, to validate data collection before the vessel departed the site. This demonstrates the highly flexible and collaborative nature of this technology, enabling industry experts to have direct access to real time data, from any location.