Blue Gem Wind, the joint venture between Simply Blue Energy and Total, is developing a floating wind demonstration site in the Celtic Sea, approximately 44km southwest of the Pembrokeshire coastline.

As part of the marine EIA team led by MarineSpace, ABPmer was contracted to undertake the physical process impact assessment in support of the Development Consent Order application for the 96 MW Erebus Project.

The assessment investigated the potential effects of the WindFloat™ floating wind platform and supporting infrastructure on the wave, flow and sediment transport regime through construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed wind farm.

To account for the different underwater profile and mooring systems used by the WindFloat™ platform, new physical process impact assessment methods were developed by ABPmer’s specialists.

Existing methods and evidence were used to inform the assessment of potential impacts from the more traditional transmission infrastructure.