Cerulean Winds, the lead developer of the Aspen, Beech and Cedar floating offshore wind farms, has completed Digital Aerial Surveys (DAS) for the projects planned to be built in the Central North Sea.
The ecological data has been collected across an area of 2,784 km2, following 72 DAS for the its Aspen, Beech and Cedar developments.
The work, completed by HiDef Surveying using fixed-wing aircraft equipped with ultra-high-resolution digital surveying technology, took place between April 2023 and March 2025.
The data will be used in environmental assessments for the project’s consenting phase and to ensure compliance with UK and European environmental legislation. The findings will also help optimize sustainable project planning, including turbine placement and infrastructure planning.
Survey activity commenced immediately following the announcement of INTOG leasing awards in March 2023, enabling Cerulean to accelerate environmental data collection and keep consenting timelines on track.
Having completed the surveys, Cerulean is set to submit its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Aspen project, a critical step in accelerating timely project delivery and achieving commercial operation.
“The completion of this best-in-class work, delivered at scale, is another milestone in the development of the UK’s floating offshore wind industry. The HiDef team have provided the accurate data we need to make our projects as sustainable as possible.
“We’re now looking ahead, alongside our consortium of partners, to developing the project and capturing the benefits of a UK-based FLOW industry,” said Dan Jackson, Founding Director of Cerulean Winds.
Once built, the three Cerulean Winds projects (Aspen, Beech and Cedar), could comprise up to 300 turbines. The 1 GW Aspen site will be developed first, providing new offshore wind capacity helping to meet the UK government’s 50 GW by 2030 target.
Cerulean Winds leads a collective of delivery partners, including Haventus, Ocean Installer, Bilfinger and NOV.