Fugro supporting offshore wind grid connections planning in southern Ireland

Ireland's state-owned electricity transmission operator EirGrid has awarded Fugro a seven-year framework agreement.

This covers delivery of geo-data surveys for the “Powering Up Offshore - South Coast” initiative that will develop offshore electricity substations and export cable routes, connecting future wind farms along Ireland’s south coast to the nation’s grid.

Fugro's data will assist selection of optimal routes and engineering designs.

The company will perform desktop studies, geophysical, environmental and geotechnical surveys to form an integrated ground model, providing EirGrid with a detailed understanding of subsurface conditions for installing transmission infrastructure (and protecting the marine ecosystem).

Geophysical and environmental surveys will get underway shortly, with results delivered through Fugro’s VirGeo cloud-based geodata platform, said to provide real-time access to data and project insights.

The project area covers four geographical zones: onshore, intertidal, nearshore and offshore. The company will deploy the Fugro Seeker and Kommander Iona vessels, with jackup barges allocated for shallow-water activities.

It will also work with Irish-based suppliers to deliver services such as metocean data collection and aerial drone surveys.

Ireland’s government aims to expand the country’s renewable energy capacity to 80%, including 5 GW supplied from offshore wind.