US Wind, Ørsted Begin Offshore, Land-Based Research, Data Collection

Two offshore wind power companies plan to conduct research in the Atlantic Ocean and Indian River Bay in the next few months.

According to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Wind and Ørsted are also planning land-based research at Delaware Seashore State Park. Visitors may notice the activity, which is part of the wind power developers’ plans for offshore Maryland and Delaware.

Ørsted has been approved by Maryland regulators for two phases of the Skipjack Wind project, and US Wind has also been approved to build a two-phase wind power project.

“Any project of this scope requires an extensive regulatory process, as well as considerable public input. Gathering the information is the first step,” DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin said Monday.

Fenwick Island State Park has been rejected as a location for Ørsted interconnection facility.

“We’ve heard the feedback of Delawareans who told us they want to be updated on offshore wind activities, including research. We want to ensure the public is aware of these activities and what the research entails,” Garvin added.

According to DNREC:

Both companies plan to update and refresh information collected in the Indian River Bay in 2016 and 2017, and to conduct geotechnical work in the Atlantic and at some land-based locations.

The research will include geotechnical investigations in the Atlantic and Indian River Bay, land-based geotechnical sampling at Delaware Seashore State Park and other work including data collection on wetlands, rare species and cultural resources.