Offshore activities about to start at TotalEnergies’ UK wind farm site

TotalEnergies and Green Investment Group (GIG) are set to commence survey work at a site offshore the UK where they plan to build a wind farm through a newly set up joint venture company, whose name was revealed in the project’s update on the upcoming offshore activities.

Namely, the joint venture – named Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind – has released a Notice to Mariners on the geophysical survey scheduled to be carried out at the offshore wind site for which the two companies were jointly selected in the UK Round 4 offshore wind auction.

The survey activities will be taking place for five months at the site approximately 60 kilometres East of the Humber Estuary, starting from 10 August, at the earliest.

The Outer Dowsing joint venture has contracted Enviros Survey & Consultancy for the work, which will be carried out by using the vessel Guard Celena and will be completed by 29 December, at the latest.

TotalEnergies and GIG’s 1.5 GW project proposal was selected by the Crown Estate earlier this year, together with five other projects. For the lease, the two companies have committed to an investment of GBP 83,000 (around €95,000) in an annual option fee during the development phase.

The projects selected through the competitive seabed tender are now undergoing an environmental assessment known as a Plan-Level Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA). The process, which is expected to conclude in Spring 2022, assesses the potential impacts of Round 4 on the UK national network of protected areas covering its most valuable species and habitats.

Subject to the outcome of HRA, the Crown Estate will award the seabed leases which can then put the projects into the planning phase.