RWE announces start of site investigation for its

EUREKA, Calif., June 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RWE today announced the imminent start of site investigation work for its Roofing offshore wind farm (roofing) Project off the coast of Northern California. This is a major milestone in the development of RWE’s first commercial-scale floating offshore wind farm. The proposed 1.6 GW project has the potential to power 640,000 homes with clean offshore wind energy. Using cutting-edge technology, RWE’s Canopy Project will collect data on the federal lease area and the area between the lease area and the coast in federal waters.

“The survey is an important step toward developing Canopy Offshore Wind and will help deliver clean energy that meets California’s ambitious climate goals,” said Sam Eaton, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind Holdings. “RWE is committed to responsible, inclusive development by engaging Humboldt residents and indigenous peoples and working closely with the fishing community as we begin the project’s offshore activities.”

Use of the latest technology

RWE has selected Argeoan underwater services provider that has supported the development of clean energy projects around the world, is to carry out the site exploration work for Canopy.

“Argeo is pleased to partner with RWE on their first commercial floating offshore wind project. We will conduct underwater surveys using proven, state-of-the-art technology,” said Dave Gentle, Vice President of North and South America at Argeo. “With its extensive experience in marine surveying, Argeo is well equipped to provide comprehensive and detailed site information. We look forward to working with RWE on this important initiative.” Due to the water depth in the lease area off the US Pacific coast, Argeo will use an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for the surveys. Using an AUV as a survey platform during this initial site characterization effort will enable high-quality data collection near the seafloor, including photographs of biological communities.

Commercial AUVs have been used since the 2000s and are a proven method of collecting geophysical and biological data with minimal impact on the environment and ocean users. They are battery powered and can remain below the ocean surface for extended periods, reducing overall survey time and emissions. The use of AUVs as survey platforms significantly reduces the risk of entanglement in fishing gear as they are not towed devices.

RWE is committed to developing offshore wind projects safely and sustainably while promoting healthy biodiversity and marine life. The AUV’s sensors operate at safe noise levels and meet California’s requirements for energy-efficient equipment for geophysical surveys, designed to minimize impacts on marine mammals and other wildlife.

Ensuring safe operations for marine animals

To comply with U.S. permitting requirements and ensure that the project is conducted in a responsible and safe manner, Canopy’s survey work will utilize certified, independent Protected Species Observers (PSOs) on survey vessels who will operate 24/7 to detect and avoid marine mammals during survey activities and to collect visual observation data of marine animals.

RWE has selected Geo-Untersee And Coastal 35 Consulting Provision of PSOs on survey vessels and Smultea Sciences To provide PSO training to Humboldt County tribal and community members to increase participation and employment opportunities for those with local and Indigenous knowledge of the area during the site investigation campaign.

Canopy plans to conduct initial site surveys in 2024 and 2025, with initial activities beginning later this month. Through extensive “mapping” of the seabed, the project aims to identify the best locations to install wind turbines, anchors and power cables, and to provide a better understanding of biodiversity, habitats and other environmental factors to ensure responsible planning and design that minimizes impacts on ocean ecosystems.

“Protected species observers are an essential part of ensuring a safe site survey that avoids interactions with wildlife,” said Jeff Gardner, President of Geo SubSea“They are an important way to ensure that offshore wind energy studies are carried out in a way that causes as little disruption to the marine ecosystem as possible.”

“The task of the PSO is exclusively to monitor protected species,” added Jenn Klaib, owner of Coastal 35 Consulting. “PSOs work to enforce environmental regulations that protect marine life and provide Canopy with valuable data to better understand marine mammals, their habitats, behavior and migration routes. The Coastal 35-Geo SubSea team is proud to be part of these first offshore wind projects on the West Coast.”

In April, Smultea Sciences, a small woman-owned business based on the U.S. West Coast, successfully trained 19 members of local Humboldt and tribal communities to become protected species observers. Several graduates of this program went on to attend safety training provided by the Global Wind Organization. This training qualifies PSOs to work on canopy or other marine projects across the country.

“The Smultea Sciences team is pleased with the high level of participation of local students from CalPoly Humboldt and other institutions, local tribal members and community members who participated in and successfully completed our training on protected marine species,” said Dr. Mari Smultea, CEO and Chief Scientist of Smultea Sciences. “It has been very fulfilling to share our collective knowledge and experiences in my hometown community and to open doors to job opportunities in marine biology and green energy development for Humboldt residents.”

Cooperation and coordination with the local fishing industry

In addition, Canopy works closely with partners in the fishing and shipping industries to communicate its survey plans and water activities. Initial discussions with the local fishing industry resulted in Canopy’s survey planning aimed at avoiding and minimizing potential overlap of activities. Activities will be conducted in different areas during different fishing seasons. RWE will send local commercial fishermen to Global Wind Organization safety training and local commercial fishermen selected by the region’s fishing industry will act as Onboard Fisheries Liaison (OFL) on the survey vessel to manage at-sea communications and coordination with the fishing fleet during survey activities.

About Canopy Offshore Wind Farm and RWE

At a federal offshore lease auction in 2022, RWE secured the right to develop a project with an estimated capacity of 1.6 GW approximately 20 miles offshore of Humboldt County. This project will be one of the first commercial-scale floating offshore wind farms, providing clean, sustainable power and helping to position the North Coast as a hub for the West Coast floating offshore wind industry.

As a pioneer of floating technology and one of the world’s leading and most experienced offshore wind companies, RWE is active across the entire value chain, from project conception through development, design, construction, operations and maintenance, and decommissioning. Working with industry partners and local institutions, RWE will use its experience to help transform Humboldt into an offshore wind energy hub while protecting the region’s shoreline and marine ecosystem. Through ongoing, comprehensive conversations with state and federal governments, voters, tribal nations, and fishermen, the RWE Canopy team will ensure this important project is developed in a responsible and equitable manner.

Learn more about Canopy at: https://canopyoffshorewind.com.

For more information, visit americas.rwe.com.

RWE in the USA
RWE is a leading renewable energy company in the United States. With more than 15 years of experience in the U.S. renewable energy business, the company has an outstanding track record in developing, building and operating renewable energy assets. RWE’s team of around 2,000 employees in the United States is fully committed to driving the energy transition in North America. Together with our partners, we develop innovative solutions and drive technological advances for our customers to reshape energy supplies for future generations. RWE Clean Energy, a subsidiary of RWE AG, operates a renewable energy portfolio with an installed capacity of around 9 gigawatts (GW) of onshore wind, solar and battery storage, making RWE the fourth largest renewable energy company in the United States and the second largest owner and operator of solar assets in the country. RWE has a presence in most U.S. states. RWE Offshore Wind Holdings, a subsidiary of RWE Offshore Wind, is also developing offshore wind energy on the east and west coasts of the US, including the company’s first commercial-scale floating wind project. As part of the RWE Group’s “Growing Green” strategy, which aims to expand its global “green” portfolio to over 65 GW of installed capacity and invest €55 billion worldwide from 2024 to 2030, the company has earmarked around €20 billion to significantly increase its operating asset base in the US. This will be supported by a project pipeline of 36 GW in onshore wind, solar and battery storage, and 6 GW of offshore wind, which represents one of the largest development platforms in the US.

• RWE announces start of site investigation campaign for its Canopy offshore wind project off the coast of Northern California