Baker Consultants wins marine noise monitoring contract
Bilbao-based Iberdrola has awarded Baker Consultants a contract to provide an underwater noise and marine mammal activity monitoring service.
The UK international ecological consultancy will deliver the service during the construction phase of the Wikinger offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea.
Andrew Baker, managing director at Baker Consultants, said: “Our unique skill-set and technical expertise in underwater noise monitoring, bioacoustics and marine mammal monitoring allow us to provide a comprehensive service to Iberdrola.”
“We are able to generate robust results in line with underwater noise regulations and reduce costs through our use of technical innovation,” he added.
Baker Consultants will monitor underwater noise emissions as well as the activity of harbour porpoises that may be present within and around the wind farm during piling operations.
In addition it will provide Iberdrola with expert consultancy services, including technical support to comply with the German regulatory authority’s (BSH) requirements.
This is Baker Consultants’ first project in the Baltic Sea, but its third in German waters where the government’s strict regulatory regime controls noise pollution in the marine environment.
Once completed the wind farm will generate enough energy to power over 350,000 households. Construction of the 70-turbine Wikinger offshore wind farm will begin in March 2016.
By Alice Mason
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