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these services to gauge their opinion on the best approach for the proposed site. Due to the uncertainties
surrounding the project, the RA made the decision to de-risk the project at the pre-procurement stage.
2.4 Public Engagement
Public engagement was initiated with various stakeholders, such as the Government, environmental agencies
and the local population. The RA held three townhall events in different parts of the island, which consisted
of a presentation about the project status and a Q&A session. The engagement provided an opportunity to
disseminate information, update stakeholders on the project’s progress, as well as for stakeholders to voice
an opinion about the project.
3. DE-RISKING ACTIVITIES
The risks associated with developing offshore wind in Bermuda and which are likely to be applicable to other
SIS involve:
• Wind regime characterised by relatively low average wind speeds and the chance of extreme weather
events (hurricanes).
• The relatively small scale of the project compared to developments in other geographies such as the North Sea.
• Remote location, which will pose challenges to mobilisation and shipping.
• Uncertainty surrounding the suitability of the seabed for offshore wind development at the proposed site.
The RA recognises that further clarity and available data have the potential to enhance the project's appeal and
provide developers with more certainty. Therefore, the RA is taking steps to procure wind measurements and
seabed assessments, which are typically carried out by developers in some other established markets. The data
collected from these activities will be provided to potential developers to conduct a bankable feasibility study.
This proactive approach aims to foster interest and confidence among prospective developers, ultimately
paving the way for the successful realisation of the project.
3.1 Wind Measurements
The RA is planning to conduct a detailed, site specific wind measurement campaign, which will provide the
basis for accurate estimates of the energy yield of a potential offshore wind farm. This campaign will involve
collecting one year of high-resolution wind data, at or near the potential hub height of the wind turbines,
which records parameters such as the wind speed, wind direction and turbulence intensity. This information
will also inform the selection of wind turbines.
The relatively low average wind speeds at the project site could be perceived as a potential risk, so the presence
of high-quality recorded data is expected to be welcomed by potential developers. The RA will provide the
recorded data to equip developers with the necessary information to conduct a comprehensive and bankable
feasibility study.
The wind measurement campaign is expected to be carried out using LiDAR technology. In discussions with
industry stakeholders, two primary approaches emerged: employing floating LiDAR at the proposed site or
installing LiDAR on an existing offshore platform. A third option of an onshore scanning LiDAR was identified
but concerns about reduced accuracy due to distance led to its dismissal. With both floating and fixed
offshore LiDAR options, a secondary measurement device is envisaged onshore. This measure aims to build
in redundancy in the measurement strategy, so in case the offshore device is taken offline by a weather event
for example, the onshore LiDAR continues to record data, which can then be correlated with the offshore data.
3.2 Seabed Assessments
The seabed assessment that will be carried out seeks to gather information about the seabed characteristics
which will help to identify potential construction related risks. It will also inform the environmental assessment
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