NORTH Channel Wind, which is planning to build a 400MW floating offshore wind farm in Belfast Lough, has commissioned independent environmental consultancy APEM to undertake a two-year baseline study of the coastal area involved.
It says the move signals the "sense of urgency" now surrounding the need for energy supply security and stability on the island of Ireland.
The digital aerial survey will be carried out over 24 consecutive months to gather density, abundance and behaviour data on seabirds and marine mammals in and around the proposed North Channel Wind site.
The ultra-high resolution data obtained will support baseline environmental characterisation of the site and environmental impact assessments for key ecological receptors.
The survey programme will commence this autumn to ensure that the first winter breeding season is captured.
SBM Offshore, the European energy company is developing the North Channel Wind project under a development agreement with Cork-based NMK Renewables.
NMK Renewables managing director Niamh Kenny says “We are in a position to build energy supply resilience within a matter of a few years given a fair wind.
“As stability in energy supply to the western most regions of Europe comes into sharper focus, the emphasis on developing increasingly reliable and utilities-scale renewable energy generation at sea is now being felt more than ever.
“Given the right administrative conditions including lease agreements, successful environmental impact assessments, consent and support from local communities and political representatives, we could be in position to start supplying very significant volumes of clean energy within four years.”
