Qair’s consortium with DEME and Aspiravi, Thistle Wind Partners (TWP), which was awarded 2GW of offshore projects in Scotland, has launched seabed surveys for its 2 wind farms:

• Ayre Offshore, a 1 GW floating foundation project located to the east of the Orkney Islands
• Bowdun Offshore, a 1 GW fixed-foundation project off the coast of Aberdeen

The geophysical surveying of the seabed at both sites, which is the first phase of the work, is led by G-tec from March to October of this year, thanks to a survey vessel using cutting-edge technology. The collected data will then feed into ground modelling studies from October onwards, while metocean surveys will begin around the same time.

A second round of geophysical and geotechnical studies is planned for next year to bolster the front-end engineering designs for the wind farms, while the construction phase is expected to start in 2029.
With this project, TWP intends to leverage the learning and improved designs and technologies that will be available by the end of the decade to address the many technical challenges for floating offshore wind.

TWP is also investing in some of the most advanced monitoring techniques for bird and marine mammal studies to ensure that the wind farms have the most harmonious relationship with marine life and other maritime industries.
The final investment decision for both projects is scheduled for 2028 (if consenting is achieved in 2025).
To learn more : thistlewindpartners.scot