On January 11, 2014 the Lorient-based company Nass&Wind Offshore launched a floating platform off Saint-Vaast la Hougue (Manche) to take environmental and technical measurements at sea for marine renewable energy (MRE) projects.
The floating platform, which is 12 metres in diameter, 5.2 metres high and weighs some 70 tonnes, carries a suite of instruments commonly used by MRE project development experts. Nass&Wind Offshore engineers will observe and analyse the behaviour of the platform and the measurement instruments for six months, under the control of a firm of independent experts. The platform will then definitively depart the test site and will be used by Nass&Wind Offshore to accurately characterize the wind resources and sea conditions favourable for the installation of marine renewable energy generation units (offshore bottom-mounted and floating wind turbines, tidal turbines, wave energy projects, etc.).
One of the objectives is to establish partnerships with scientific institutes, university laboratories and environmental organisations interested in conducting experiments and collecting scientific and environmental data.
The platform was designed based on a “lanby” initially used to mark the Ushant traffic separation scheme, a region well known for its difficult navigational conditions.
According to Romain Baronnet, deputy general manager of Nass&Wind Offshore , “the launch of this highly innovative floating measurement platform is a very important step in our development. This success illustrates a lesser-known facet of our know-how. Once testing is complete and the platform is certified, Nass&Wind Offshore will have a unique measurement system and will strengthen its position as a specialist in marine renewable energy.” [mappress] Press release, January 16, 2014; Image: nass-et-wind