French Offshore Wind Project Gets Weather Measurement Equipment from Norway

French Offshore Wind Project Gets Weather Measurement Equipment from Norway

Automasjon og Data AS (A+D) in Sandnes, Norway is currently testing and handing over the total Metmast instrumentation package for the Fecamp Offshore Wind project in France. 

For several years now, A+D is trying to shift technology and experience from offshore oil and gas to offshore wind. As the offshore wind projects move into deeper waters, they will need more and more of the same technology that is used in the offshore oil and gas industry, and A+D has now achieved a major breakthrough with this contract.

The delivery includes all the electrical installations and instrumentation that is installed on the Metmast. This includes a comprehensive power supply package with battery banks, solar cells and wind generators supplying power to all the instrumentation and other installations onboard. It also includes 220 VAC and 440 VAC for general service power as well as crane power supply. In addition, there is a complete package of Navigational aids for marine and air traffic.

The main focus is of course on wind measurements with a number of traditional wind sensor as well as a LIDAR for accurate wind measurements, including dataloggers and communication to shore. In addition, there is also a large package of meteorological, oceanographic and structural sensors in order to collect data on this special innovative structure.

This Metmast is normally unmanned so all systems have been designed for unattended operations over long time.

“This contract is the first of its kind for A+D and we hope of course that there will be many more to come in the future,” says Jon A. Silgjerd, MD of A+D. “We are also working hard on several other products aimed at the offshore wind industry and we hope that this will be another line of products for the company, besides the oil and gas activities.” 

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Press release, September 23, 2014; Image: A+D