Bellrock and Broadshore Offshore Wind Farms, Environmental Surveys

We were contracted by Acteon/Terrasond to deliver key environmental services for the BlueFloat Energy and Renantis Partnership’s Scottish floating offshore wind farms: Bellrock, Broadshore, Sinclair, and Scaraben. This landmark collaboration is a significant milestone in advancing sustainable renewable energy solutions in Scotland, following the successful ScotWind and INTOG licensing rounds.

As part of the 2023 reconnaissance geophysical and environmental survey campaigns, we supported site-specific investigations to gather critical data for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and consenting applications. These surveys represent a vital step toward the development of these innovative offshore wind projects.

Key Contributions:

Marine Mammal Mitigation:

• Provided marine mammal mitigation services aboard the survey vessel Ocean Fortune.
• Deployed in-house Joint Nature Conservation Committee certified Marine Mammal Observers and experienced Passive Acoustic Monitoring Operators.
• Ensured compliance with European Protected Species licenses and Best Available Techniques.

Benthic Characterisation Campaign:

• Designed and led a benthic sampling plan for the offshore wind farm array sites, including advisory services.
• Conducted surveys to characterise benthic communities, assess species and habitats of conservation importance, identify invasive non-native species, and provide insights into biodiversity across the project areas.

Our extensive expertise in delivering large-scale benthic and geophysical surveys for the offshore wind sector throughout the UK and Europe was instrumental in their selection. Previous contributions to Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm zones, such as Berwick Bank, Seagreen, and West of Orkney, underscore our capability to support ambitious renewable energy projects.

By partnering with Acteon/Terrasond and working on behalf of BlueFloat Energy and Renantis, we are proud to contribute to the sustainable development of Scotland’s renewable energy future.