GMI to Support Fishermen’s Energy with Environmental Assessment Efforts (USA)

Fishermen’s Energy (FE) has been selected by The U.S. Department of Energy — Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Wind Program to demonstrate next-generation offshore wind technologies.

As part of the Energy Department’s broader efforts to launch an offshore wind industry in the United States, these engineering, design, and deployment projects will support innovative offshore installations in state and federal waters for commercial operation.

In year one (initial phase) of the five year program, Geo-Marine (GMI) will support FE with R&D efforts to advance the development of traditional thermal and video imaging systems for assessment of nocturnal animal (bird, bat) occurrence, strikes and behavior around offshore wind turbines.

Additionally, GMI has been tasked with testing and deploying a series of innovative after-dark marine mammal detection techniques and to demonstrate to the National Marine Fisheries Service that an exclusionary zone may be effectively maintained to allow pile driving without presenting risk of harm to marine mammals.

FE’s funding application also included various additional environmental tasks that are anticipated to occur following the conclusion of the initial phase of the five year program.

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Press release, December 20, 2012