A metocean study supporting the design of the first floating offshore wind (FLOW) projects in Welsh waters is under way.

Blue Gem Wind (BGW), a joint venture between Simply Blue Energy and TotalEnergies, is the developer behind two Celtic Sea floating offshore wind projects, Erebus and Valorous.

Fully calibrated spectral wave and hydrodynamic hindcasts

BGW has appointed ABPmer to deliver the certifiable metocean design bases to inform front end engineering design (FEED) and Detailed Design for both projects. This includes the production of fully calibrated spectral wave and hydrodynamic hindcasts.

Heidi Roberts, Head of Modelling and Physical Processes at ABPmer, said “Alongside our physical process work to support the consenting of Erebus, we are thrilled to continue working with BGW on these exciting projects.“

“We will refine our existing models using ABPmer’s SEASTATES hindcast database, enabling us to fully represent the regional oceanographic conditions and nearshore processes, providing a bespoke 40-year hindcast of both hydrodynamics and waves. Detailed metocean analysis will then be completed on the calibrated hindcast and metocean design bases produced.”

The study will provide extreme and operational metocean criteria for the array and export cable corridors for both projects, with delivery in late summer 2021.

ABPmer’s metocean consultants use the global SEASTATES hindcast models and extensive suite of metocean analysis software to support projects worldwide.