Supporting Offshore Wind Success – Explore Our New E-book
As the offshore wind industry evolves, APEM Group is here to help you navigate complexity with confidence. Our new e-book...
As the offshore wind industry continues to expand, the importance of subsea transmission infrastructure has become increasingly critical. With new projects emerging in the UK and Europe, including the significant expansion of floating offshore wind in Scotland, the need for robust and adaptable electricity transmission grids is paramount.
The Challenge of Congested Sea Space
The transition to larger offshore wind sites and floating wind farms presents various challenges for submarine subsea transmission. These offshore projects are located far from major population centres, requiring innovative solutions to ensure efficient power transmission to the UK power grid.
One of the primary challenges for offshore cable routing is finding space on the increasingly congested seabed. Developers must find good paths between offshore wind farms and onshore connections. They should reduce conflicts with existing seabed structures and other marine activities. It’s also important to avoid major effects on protected areas and species.
More users want to utilise the seabed for pipelines, cables, environmental protection, anchorages, and fishing. This means that developers of offshore infrastructure need to spend more time and resources on choosing and designing cable routes early in the process. This is now an essential project requirement targeting the avoidance of conflict and minimising adverse impacts on overall project timelines and costs.
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As the offshore wind industry grows, seabed congestion is becoming a critical challenge. The good news? There are smart, technology-driven strategies that support the development of efficient and reliable subsea transmission systems.
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Practical Solutions
- Doing early studies on project limits, checking if it’s possible, exploring sites, and assessing how it affects the environment, along with talking to interested parties and regulators, can help in planning a practical cable route. This can lower the chances of unexpected problems and make sure the cable installations are strong and dependable. Early planning helps gather important information before it is too late. If you wait, it can take a lot of time and money to collect this data. Talking with important groups, like the Crown Estate for English and Welsh waters and Crown Estate Scotland for Scottish waters, can help find other seabed users and possible new limits. This makes the approval process easier.
- Advanced technologies such as remote sensing provide valuable insights into seabed conditions and help optimise cable routing decisions. High-resolution mapping of bathymetry, sediment composition, and sub-seafloor structures supports the identification of potential geohazards, such as sand waves, boulders, or steep gradients. This allows for more accurate assessment of cable burial feasibility, reducing installation risks and minimising environmental impact by choosing more site-appropriate installation techniques.
- Benthic analysis and shipping data can be utilised to address congestion issues, inform optimal routing decisions, and enable safe co-existence with other marine users. Mapping vessel traffic, anchorages, and fishing activity gives strong information for better decisions. This data helps find ways to lower risks, like burying cables, to protect assets and other marine users. This is particularly important for undersea cables and underwater cables that must coexist with other critical infrastructure.
Strategic Advice
APEM Group draws on a wealth of expertise and experience in the marine environment, particularly through its Marine Science teams and NASH, to deliver well-informed constraints mapping and planning. This approach supports integration with existing infrastructure by providing a deep understanding of the baseline environment and comprehensive awareness of both onshore and offshore constraints and sensitivities.
We help clients reduce congestion on land and at sea. By planning and studying routes, we can make the most of the space we have. This ensures that energy can be transmitted reliably and sustainably.
Our proactive risk management strategies are designed to identify potential issues early in the planning phase. This allows us to implement effective solutions that prevent costly errors and protect the environment from unnecessary damage.
Get in Touch
Whether you’re navigating early-stage planning or tackling complex routing challenges, APEM Group is here to help.
We have strong knowledge of the ocean and a history of managing risks and working with stakeholders. This makes us a great partner for your offshore projects.
Let’s work together to unlock the full potential of your development, efficiently, responsibly, and with confidence.
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