Category Archives: Offshore

Sailors should expect tricky conditions on Thursday, especially in the afternoon on Day #4 of 2020 Hempel World Cup Series Miami.

Patchy fog early and partly to mostly cloudy throughout the day including a slight chance of showers is forecasted. Warmer temperatures than Wednesday and Tuesday are expected with the high near 76 degrees.

Most of the day will be a ENE-E gradient wind. Wind speeds may increase with the ENE wind to 10-15 knots this morning. Afternoon breeze will average 7-12 knots and perhaps lower.

2020 Hempel World Cup Series Miami is partnering with the Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race this year. Thursday is the start of this new Doublehanded Offshore Event. Doublehanded offshore teams will start south of Port Everglades and the boats will race to Key West, with an expected course length of approximately 160 miles.

Tune in on the SORC Sailing Facebook page for live video from the signal boat. Spectators on shore can view of the start from the Dania Beach Fishing Pier. The finish is off of Mallory Square in Key West.

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Day #4 Morning Report: Start of Doublehanded Offshore Event, Weather and Conditions - US SAILING

RPS Group has been appointed to carry out environmental studies for Start of the South, Australias first offshore wind project.

RPS will undertake marine mammal and bird surveys to support the projects offshore planning approvals.

The deal was signed by Star of the South Chief Executive Casper Frost Thorhauge and RPS Executive General ManagerforPlace and Environment Susan Farr.

RPS is excited to be able to drive success for Australias first offshore wind project by combining the expertise we have gained on other offshore wind projects overseas including the Hornsea Projects in the UKthe largest currently under construction globallywith our experience managing Australias most complex environmental studies, plans and approvals, said Farr.

Were pleased to be working on an iconic project like the Star of the South, which has the potential to transform our energy supply, while delivering positive environmental, community and economic outcomes for Gippsland, Victoria and Australia.

Eight subsea passive acoustic monitoring recorders will be deployed at the Star of the South site from mid-February as part of a passive acoustic monitoring program for vocalizing marine mammals.

Also, a bathymetric and geophysical site survey will commence at the site offshore Gippsland on 28 February.

Star of the Southcould comprise up to 250 turbines with a combined capacity of up to 2GW. The project is a joint development by AustraliasOffshore Energy and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).

Link:

RPS to Conduct Star of the South Environmental Studies - Offshore WIND

The first of the total of 90 wind turbine foundations has been installed at the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm.

The installation of the first steel monopile, weighing some 600 tonnes, and its transition piece was done by Seaway7s heavy-lift vessel Seaway Strashnov.

The vessel has been contracted to transport and install all wind turbine foundations, as well as the wind farms two offshore substations and their foundations.

Our first clear weather window of the year has presented us with a great opportunity, and Im delighted to confirm that the first monopile and transition piece have been safely and successfully installed at Triton Knoll, said Julian Garnsey, project director for Triton Knoll and innogy.

We will continue to press ahead with the foundations programme, as the weather permits, and look forward to installation of the projects offshore substations and cables later this summer, Garnsey said.

The offshore wind farm will feature 90 MHI Vestas 9.5MW turbines. The 860MW project, located over 32 kilometers off the Lincolnshire coast, is jointly owned by innogy, J-Power and Kansai Electric Power.

Innogy is managing the project construction and long-term operation and maintenance works, on behalf of its project partners.

The offshore wind farm is expected to be put into operation in 2021.

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First Foundation In at Triton Knoll - Offshore WIND

Issued on: 19/01/2020 - 04:38Modified: 19/01/2020 - 04:37

London (AFP)

Britain, a global leader in offshore wind energy, plans to make the sector one of the pillars of its transition to carbon neutrality in the coming decades.

The country aims to quadruple its offshore electricity production capacity by 2030 by utilising the windswept North Sea and a favourable policy environment.

"It's more conducive to build offshore in the UK than anywhere else in Europe," said James Brabben, of Cornwall Insight energy consultancy.

"There's quite a consensus of support around offshore wind from the public and politics," he told AFP.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government, returned to power with a thumping majority last month, pledged in its election manifesto to increase power from offshore wind from 10 to 40 gigawatts this decade.

It wants Britain to be carbon neutral by 2050, with onshore wind, solar, hydro and biomass also set to contribute to its energy mix.

The country already produces almost 40 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, according to figures published last week for the third quarter of 2019.

- Planned expansions -

Britain plans to favour the development of colossal offshore wind farms given the country's relatively small land mass.

There were 38 operational sites comprising around 2,000 turbines at the end of 2018, according to the last available figures from the Crown Estate, the hereditary land and property portfolio of the royal family which owns most of Britain's seabed.

Nearly 1,000 more turbines are already in the planning stages.

Two of the biggest projects are Walney Extension, in north Wales, and London Array, at the mouth of the River Thames.

The two sites are home to the highest concentration of British offshore farms, thanks to the windy weather conditions created by their geography.

Several other projects are also under way, including at Hornsea and Dogger Bank off the coast of Yorkshire, which will compete for the title of largest offshore wind turbine field in the world.

Johnson has also touted rolling out floating wind farms, which utilise cutting-edge technology still being developed, to tap into windy marine areas with deeper seabeds.

Maritime wind farms have not proved universally popular among residents when visible from the shore, while some NGOs have concerns over the impact on marine mammals and migratory birds.

- 'Sustainable technology' -

The sector is also trying to account for the so-called "global cost" of building and running a wind turbine on the planet.

Danish manufacturer Vestas has estimated it takes between five and 12 months of use to offset the energy cost of a turbine, the difference depending on the model and wind conditions.

"As turbines repay their entire carbon footprint in such a short space of time, they are excellent examples of sustainable technology in action," Robert Norris, of industry trade association RenewableUK, told AFP.

Alastair Dutton, who heads a task force at the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) industry group, believes bigger investment in technological innovation is needed "to further increase their sustainability".

He expects that will allow turbine producers to "move away from carbon intensive raw earth materials and implement the highest level possible of recycling to insert wind within the circular economy".

Offshore wind power had a record year in 2019, with the completion of projects off the coasts of China, Taiwan, Britain and the Netherlands, among others.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has highlighted the almost "unlimited potential" of offshore wind power, as production costs fall and technological progress increases turbines' power and efficiency.

2020 AFP

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UK looks to offshore wind for green energy transition - FRANCE 24

TOKYO -- Japan has learned of close to 2 million overseas accounts as it broadens its search for tax evaders to smaller balances.

Data on more than 1.89 million accounts held by Japanese individuals and businesses in 85 countries and regions has been obtained for 2019, the National Tax Agency said Friday.

When the agency began sharing information with counterparts under the Common Reporting Standard in 2018, it sought to uncover accounts with balances exceeding 100 million yen ($915,000). Information on about 740,000 offshore accounts had been received by June 2019.

This time, the agency also targeted accounts of 100 million yen or less.

Asia and Oceania accounted for nearly 80%, or more than 1.46 million, of the accounts reported under the 2019 information exchange from July to November.

Tax havensparticipated in the effort.

In return, Japan provided information on roughly 470,000 accounts to 64 countries and regions.

Information supplied through the program includes the account holder's name and address, as well as the balance. In a case handled by a National Tax Agency regional bureau in the northern city of Sapporo, an asset management company representative was ordered to pay back taxes on unreported overseas assets.

"If the CRS program helps amass information, authorities may be able to track down asset transfers between offshore accounts, and this will serve as an even more powerful tool," said a tax accountant who previously worked at the agency.

Link:

Japan tax evasion hunt extends to nearly 2m offshore accounts - Nikkei Asian Review

Bird conservationists filed a lawsuit in a federal court challenging the Icebreaker offshore wind farm in Lake Erie, Ohio a move branded by the project's developer as unwarranted and against wider environmental interests.

Two groups claimed the Icebreaker demonstration project which is set to deploy six turbines to create Americas first freshwater offshore wind farm threatens multiple species of birds in the area.

The action is against the US Department of Energy and US Army Corps of Engineers for alleged failure to properly consider bird impacts in environmental assessments of the project.

LEEDCo, a non-profit, public-private partnership based there, is co-developing Icebreaker Wind with Norwegian equity investor Fred Olsen Renewables.

Mike Parr of the American Bird Conservancy claimed: American tax dollars are paying for more than a third of the project cost but a Norwegian corporation is in partnership with the nonprofit project implementer, LEEDCo.

Why are US taxpayer dollars supporting this in the first place? Migratory birds are a common good of the American people.

The campaigners claims Icebreaker could be precedent-setting for large-scale offshore wind development in the Great Lakes.

Icebreaker plans to use MHI Vestas 3.45MW turbines, specially adapted offshore versions of Vestas V126-3.45 onshore machines. It is targeting start of construction in 2021 and operation in 2022.

LEEDCo president David Karpinski said in a statement sent to Recharge that detailed surveys in consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) demonstrated very low bird activity within the project area.

Based on that data, the USFWS ultimately concluded that the project poses 'limited direct risk to migratory birds and dropped its initial recommendation that an Environmental Impact Statement be prepared, said Karpinski.

We believe the US Department of Energy and US Army Corps of Engineers have fully and faithfully carried out their obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act to evaluate the impact of the project on all aspects of the environment.

Karpinski added that further review is not warranted and would not add to the analysis beyond additional expense and delay.

The clean energy that these turbines will generate is an important step toward reducing emissions and pollution, and combating climate change, which will provide great benefits to birds and other wildlife as well as all Ohioans.

That is why Icebreaker is supported by the most respected environmental organisations, including the Sierra Club, the Environmental Defense Fund and the Ohio Environmental Council.

Legal action over potential bird impacts has faced a number of major offshore wind projects around the world in the industrys short history.

Lengthy legal action by the RSPB in Scotland caused several years of delays to projects there, and bird conservationists in Germany have also turned up the legal heat on offshore wind developers.

Orsteds 2.4GW Hornsea 3 off eastern England in September saw a consent decision delayed for six months after bird charities raised last minute fears over its impact.

Note: Update adds reaction from Icebreaker

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US offshore wind project hits back at bird groups over lawsuit - Recharge

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson name-checked decarbonisation as he celebrated a decisive general election victory that leaves the offshore wind industry hoping he will keep his promises, makes Brexit a certainty, and raises questions over the future in the UK of Scotland and its massive renewable resources.

Johnson flagged a desire to make the UK the cleanest, greenest nation after his Conservatives crushed the Labour opposition, which ran on a broadly hard-left ticket, to remain in power and secure his partys largest majority in the House of Commons since Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.

The Conservative election campaign contained few concrete pledges on green issues, preferring to lean on the 2050 net-zero carbon goal already put in place by Johnsons predecessor Theresa May when challenged over its climate ambitions.

The big exception was offshore wind, where the Conservatives made specific mention of boosting to 40GW a 2030 goal that currently stands at 30GW, along with a pledge to back floating wind technology. As in so many other areas of policy, the sector will now await the detail behind the number, but the fact that both major parties backed an increase leaves the UKs world-leading offshore wind sector well placed to play a central role in national industrial policy.

The same cannot be said of other renewable technologies. The Conservatives have excluded both onshore wind and solar from the contract-for-difference (CfD) support mechanism, with no immediate signs of a rethink on that.

With Brexit set to in Johnsons words get done by the end of January at least as far as a withdrawal agreement is concerned the offshore wind sector should at least see an easing of the rolling deadlines that caused stockpiling against a no deal Brexit this year.

However, longer-term the uncertainty remains over the detailed future relationship between the UK and EUs energy markets. And while Johnson triumphed in England and Wales, the Scottish National Party (SNP) swept the board in Scotland, strengthening its calls for another referendum on independence for the devolved nation, the biggest source of UK onshore wind power and a growing force offshore.

Early reaction to Johnsons win stressed the need for urgent policy action to push the UK towards net-zero.

Hugh McNeal, CEO of wind-focused industry group RenewableUK, said: We look forward to working with the new government to grow the UKs renewable energy sector and deliver on the commitments to 40GW of offshore wind by 2030 and developing floating wind projects.

The voters have sent a clear signal that climate action must be a top priority, and the eyes of the world will be on the UK as we host the UN global climate summit, so this Government must take urgent action to get the country on track for net zero.

Power sector umbrella group Energy UK's policy director Audrey Gallacher added: While Brexit will continue to dominate the political agenda, and there will be important issues to now focus on as we look to the future relationship with Europe, we must also quickly break the hiatus in energy policy.

Nick Molho, executive director of the Aldersgate Group think-tank said: The governments policy decisions in this parliamentary term will be absolutely critical. They will determine whether the UK is genuinely on track for achieving its net zero target and reversing the decline of the natural environment within a generation.

They will also determine whether UK businesses can become amongst the most competitive providers of low carbon goods and services globally.

The UK Renewable Energy Association said: The climate emergency is the biggest challenge that we face and this is the pivotal moment. The new government must now implement credible policy to decarbonise the economy in line with our net-zero targets.

To achieve this, the new government must be more ambitious and commit to wholesale systems change across energy, in particular for transport and waste, required to unleash the full potential of renewable energy and clean technology.

Note: Update adds comments

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Offshore wind waits for Johnson to deliver after UK election triumph - Recharge

Ireland aims to expand the Olympic classes in which it competes when Irish Sailing seek expressions of interest on Friday, December 13th, in the new mixed two-handed offshore keelboat for Paris 2024.

The new Olympic class has already prompted declarations from Irish sailors with significant offshore experience.

This week Irish Sailing confirmed entry into the 2020 Offshore World Championships to be held in association with the Middle Sea Race in October 2020. Such a move is regarded as the opening of a 2024 Olympic offshore campaign, and is predicated by the payment of a 2,500 entry fee to World Sailing.

Offshore interest in Ireland stems from several top results achieved on the international stage by Irish solo sailors such as David Kenefick, Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy.

In June 2019, a declaration was made by Ostar transatlantic winner Conor Fogerty of Howth Yacht Club, who has partnered with Susan Glenny, for a 2024 bid.

Nations will have to qualify for the limited fleet event. 20 L30 yachts will be supplied to competitors, but the organisers have not yet determined the event(s) that will qualify for the championships.

Holding qualifications in chartered boats already available on a regional basis is one idea to cut the cost of campaigning the keelboat that has been guesstimated at 350,000 for a four-year campaign.

The mixed two-handed offshore race will be of approximately four days duration, the same as that proposed for the 2024 Olympic Regatta.

The keelboat will join kiteboarding, windsurfing, multihulls, singlehanded and doublehanded dinghies and skiffs, promoting the diversity of the sport in Paris.

Yet before embarking on any new challenge for 2024, last weeks 49er World Championships in New Zealand revealed Ireland has still much work to do for 2020 if it wants to qualify more than one boat for Tokyo.

As it stands Ireland is on the Tokyo startline in the womens Laser Radial class, a position that will be the subject of a four-way trial in spring 2020. Yet despite lengthy campaigns, Ireland is still looking for places in both the mens Laser and skiff class, and is now in the last-chance saloon as Olympic fleets are finalised.

The notoriously fickle Italian venue of Genoa will provide the backdrop for the last European place available at the 2020 World Cup next Easter in the 49er skiff.

Irelands double Olympian Ryan Seaton and Seafra Guilfoyle and Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove are both contesting the place, where Belgium and Italy appear to be the principal rivals for the slot based on results at this months Worlds in Auckland.

The last two Laser places will also be up for grabs on the Mediterranean Sea, and three Irish trialists hoping for last-minute success are Rio representative Finn Lynch of Dn Laoghaire, Ewan McMahon of Howth and Liam Glynn from Bangor.

Meanwhile, Howth Yacht Club sailors entered in the Stephens Day Sydney Hobart Race got more than they bargained for when they arrived into Sydney Harbour this week. Race officials are anticipating a worst-case scenario as bushfires threaten to cause the postponement of the bluewater classic.

A Howth Yacht Club team skippered by Darren Wright will compete on the First 40 Breakthrough.

Other Howth sailors racing this Christmas include Shane Diviney on Chinese Whisper and the Australia-based Gordon Maguire on Ichi Ban, both serious contenders for the overall Tattersalls Cup.

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Expressions of interest sought for mixed two-handed offshore keelboat for Paris 2024 - The Irish Times

The Crown Estates Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 will be highly competitive, with multiple developers vying to take a slice of a 7GW opportunity, according to Tristan Chapman, Senior Vice President of Renewables and Innovation from Lloyds Register.

As previously reported, the Crown Estate opened the leasing Round 4 in October, offering seabed rights for new projects in the waters around England and Wales

According to Chapman, Round 4 and the forthcoming Scottish roundare a golden opportunity for the UK to cement its position as the global leader in offshore wind.

The sector has demonstrated its ability to innovate and drive down costs, and with regular Contracts for Difference (CfD) rounds on the horizon, there is a clear route to yet more volume and cost reduction.

However, the Round 4 leasing areas bring new challenges, and the need for developers to consider carefully their site assessment and project design, according to Chapman.

In what is becoming an increasingly congested marine environment, new schemes may need to co-exist with current and future oil and gas infrastructure. The competitive nature of the tendering process means winning bidders will need to provide best-in-class wind resource evaluation, onshore grid connectivity optioneering, ground risk management, constraints evaluation, metocean analysis, and cable route engineering.

Add in the desire from the Crown Estate (and possibly BEIS) to incentivise further innovation including floating projects and it is clear a comprehensive approach to developing a commercially competitive bid will be key, Chapman said.

A bidders site selection will need to take into account a range of factors including finding the most favourable ground conditions for foundation installation and capacity; considering constraints such as marine protected areas, visual impact, and fishing operations; oil and gas and subsea hazards that can range from unexploded ordinances (UXO) to existing infrastructure, such as pipelines and cables.

Whilst much of this information is already in the public domain it is vital that bidders assemble a team that can bring together experience in the marine environment as well as experience in wind.

Onshore grid connection availability and options will also be key. All entrants in the round will need to think about not only the most economic routes, but also the installation methodologies required, and the cables post-lay longevity which can have a major impact on project viability and ultimate return.

Given this complexity, LR believes that multi-disciplinary teams are the best way to assess and analyse these multiple and inter-related inputs. Access to data and clear decision making is critical, and the ability to share data between all decision-makers is key, Chapman said.

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LR: UK Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 to Be Highly Competitive - Offshore WIND

Fri, Dec 13, 2019 - 11:36 AM

DESPITE subdued global currency markets, trading activity in foreign exchange (FX) futures on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) grew to US$110 billion in November, up 12.5 per cent month on month and 9 per cent year on year.

Nearly 1.88 million FX contracts changed hands on the Singapore bourse last month, bringing the year-to-date (YTD) volume to 21.5 million contracts worth some US$1.2 trillion, SGX said on Friday.

Global financial markets have been relatively less volatile for most of this year with no sustained volatility hotpots, except for the British pound, the bourse operator noted.

Key globaleconomic themes also remained unchanged in the past few months, with the US-China trade war still dominating headlines.In the UK, Brexit woes still weighed on sentiment, and volatility in the poundhas returned asthe elections approach.

In Chinese markets, the US-China trade negotiations continued to drive activity in November, after a quiet October from the extended public holidays.

Well be curating stories from management guru John Bittleston and making them free to read.

Early last month, reports of a phased rollback in tariffs as part of the phase-one trade deal drove up volumes in USD/CNH (US dollar and offshore Chinese yuan) futures on SGX. In anticipation of the deal, the yuan fell below 7 against the US dollar, although this was not sustained due to concerns that discussions may be premature, SGX said.

Overall, the yuan gained 0.3 per cent against the US dollar in November despite lingering concerns on the outcome of the trade war.

AboutUS$79.6 billion in USD/CNH futures on SGX were traded last month, climbing 38 per cent year on year.The average daily volume rose to US$3.79 billion in November, from US$3.02 billion a month ago.

YTD volumes of SGX USD/CNH futures exceeded US$828 billion - more thandouble the US$534 billion recorded for the whole of 2018, the bourse operator said on Friday.

Open interest for SGX USD/CNH futures at the end of November was US$5.8 billion or 57,857 contracts, representing close to 70 per cent of the open interest across all exchanges with similar offerings, SGX noted.

On the other hand, in India, the rupee weakened about 1.3 per cent in November, despite strong inflows into Indian equities from foreign portfolio investors.

Rupee markets saw low volatility and weak trading momentum, resulting in trading volume for SGX INR/USD (Indian rupee and US dollar) futures totalling just above US$29 billion from 1.04 million contracts last month.

The average daily volume in November for SGX INR/USD futures was US$1.46 billion.

Key indicators in India continue to point to a lacklustre economy, SGX noted. Industrial production fell 4.3 per cent in September, the lowest in almost eight years and lower than the estimated drop of 2.5 per cent.

"The weakening economy poses further downside risks to growth and the budget deficit. At a fiscal deficit of over 7 trillion rupees (S$130 billion), India has already surpassed its annual deficit target in the first seven months of the fiscal year," SGX said.

Moody's also cut India's rating outlook from stable to negative in November, citing a host of issues from a worsening shadow banking crunch, and a prolonged slowdown in the economy to rising public debt.

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More SGX FX futures traded in Nov amid surge in offshore yuan contracts - The Business Times