APEM will complete a final survey over Vattenfall’s Norfolk Vanguard East site this month, as part of an eight month project to gather data on birds and marine mammals in the area.
Eight surveys were flown out from Norwich International Airport at monthly intervals between September 2015 and April 2016 and the resulting images were analysed by APEM’s in-house ornithology team.
They reveal data on the numbers and distribution of bird species throughout the non-breeding period in this area of the southern North Sea, including auks, gannets, kittiwakes and fulmars.
Vattenfall will use analysis of the survey data as part of its environment impact assessment.
The power company started developing the 1.8GW Norfolk Vanguard in mid-March. The wind farm is situated 47 kilometres off the coast at Winterton Ness, and is expected to enter the offshore construction phase by the early 2020s. It could comprise up to 225 turbines.
Next year, Vattenfall will also commence development of the nearby Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farm with a capacity of another 1.8GW, for which it aims to get the irrevocable consent by 2021.