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Geophysical data for Tonn Nua offshore wind auction
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
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Data is critical to advancing Irelands renewable energy goals and securing its energy future. Ireland has ambitious offshore renewable energy targets and the meeting of these targets' hinges on comprehensive data and surveys to assess site feasibility, environmental impacts, and logistical considerations. Geophysical survey data is required to determine the bathymetry, assess the seabed and sub-bottom conditions, identify seabed including soil type and sub-bottom geohazards and terrain models. Geophysical surveys may also inform optimal placement of turbines.
Ireland's second offshore wind auction will take place in the Tonn Nua auction site, off the coast of County Waterford. The auction bidding process is expected to take place in early 2025.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) has now made critical geophysical data sets available for the Tonn Nua auction. These datasets will support prospective auction participants in their analysis to better inform and de-risk bid preparations.
Tonn Nua will be the first offshore auction to be held within the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC DMAP). Along with the Tonn Nua auction site, the SC DMAP identifies four maritime areas off the south coast in which ORE development will take place over the next decade. All four maritime areas are located off the Cork, Waterford and Wexford coast. This approach offers further certainty to ORE developers – by ensuring that future ORE windfarm developments will be led by maritime spatial plans identified by Government and approved by the Oireachtas- It also protects the marine environment and supports citizens reliant on the sea.
Following a 6-week public consultation, the Department of the Environment Climate and Communications, through the Marine Institute, mobilised the research vessel the Tom Crean to conduct a geophysical survey within the SC DMAP. This survey ran from 6 July 2024 until 12 September 2024. Geophysical data from both the Tonn Nua and Lí Ban sites was collected.
Data that will be made available in the first data drop from the recent Marine Institute DECC geophysical surveys includes the following from the Tonn Nua site
- Administration Data to include:
o Technical note describing data content
o Survey mobilisation and calibration report
o Survey operations report
o Survey metadata
- Processed multibeam bathymetry and backscatter grids
- Sub-bottom profile data (raw data files and processed segy data)
- Ultra-high resolution multi-channel seismic data (raw data, processed segy data, P190 navigation data, and nav loaded brute stacks)
Both processed and unprocessed data has been made available, however, all data is uninterpreted. Users are asked to please complete the data request form and data license agreement which are available below, and send them to oefd@decc.gov.ie . The department will send the data to users through an Azure Solutions link once these documents have been returned to the Department. Users can expect 1 TB of data from the data drop, once the files have been extracted.
For any queries regarding this matter, please contact oefd@decc.gov.ie
