Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid, is making history by building the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the United States. As part of this pioneering project, Vineyard Wind has signed an agreement with ThayerMahan, a US-based company, for a pilot programme that will deploy and test a secondary bubble curtain during the installation of foundations.
The purpose of the bubble curtain is to mitigate the noise created during foundation installation by absorbing and dampening sound. ThayerMahan's bubble curtain technology involves placing large, perforated hoses on the seafloor around the monopile, filling them with compressed air, and inflating them to create a barrier of bubbles that reduces noise.
The Northstar Navigator vessel, formerly known as Keith Cowan, will conduct operations at the 800 MW Vineyard Wind. ThayerMahan will receive USD 5 million in funding from Vineyard Wind's Industry Accelerator Fund administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and will also move its headquarters for the bubble curtain acoustic mitigation product line to New Bedford.
ThayerMahan has also partnered with Hydrotechnik-Luebeck to hire locally for a wide array of positions, from deckhands to data scientists, and has established a training/internship programme with UMass Dartmouth. Furthermore, the company has agreed to assembly and manufacturing operations for future projects in New Bedford.
“We believe this is the first step of getting US firms experience in this new industry and sets the stage for rapid expansion in the coming years, particularly in our hometown of New Bedford,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus S. Moeller.
ThayerMahan will be the first American company to provide bubble curtain services to the US offshore wind industry, the Vineyard Wind joint venture says. Jennifer Downing, Executive Director of the New Bedford Ocean Cluster, praised the partnership, saying that it “will help to prepare our local workforce for future job opportunities as the company continues to expand its operations in New Bedford.”
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The 800 MW Vineyard Wind 1, which is currently under construction off the coast of Massachusetts, will feature 62 Haliade-X 13 MW turbines and is planned to start producing power this year. The wind farm will generate enough electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The partnership between Vineyard Wind and ThayerMahan represents an exciting first for the US offshore wind industry and underscores the potential for rapid expansion in the years ahead. As the industry continues to grow and mature, it is likely that more American companies will play a vital role in driving innovation and growth.
