McNulty set for offshore platform pre-construction

The monitoring platform represents the first phase in the construction of Narec’s offshore wind-demonstration facility, which, when completed, will provide turbine manufacturers with an opportunity to demonstrate their prototype wind-turbine generators and foundations in the North Sea.

The monitoring platform will collect the necessary environmental data to inform the development, construction and operation of the demonstration site. The data-gathering equipment likely to be located on the offshore platform will collect data on wind speed and direction, monitor the movement of birds and bats, record vessel movements up to a range of 10km, and collect wave and tidal data.

McNulty Offshore Construction will work with Narec to confirm the requirements of the monitoring platform and develop the design, with the intention of constructing the platform by the summer of next year.

Funding of £18.5m was awarded to the project by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in February 2010. An additional £4.35m was awarded to the project in March from One North East’s Single Programme Fund, to bring the total available funding to £22.85m.