We love this one! This a great example of where we truly delivered above and beyond the client’s requirements, while at the same time exceeding the client’s expectations for an efficient green electrical generation solution.
Project overview
We were proud to design, build & test radio comms package for a major Scottish offshore wind farm on behalf of a multi-disciplinary engineering company based in The Netherlands.
Requirement
Our client required an offshore communications specialist to support the rollout of the Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) windfarm, a major new Scottish infrastructure project. With a total investment of some £2bn, the project is designed to provide green electrical generation capacity of up to 450MW.
The client required the delivery of the communications systems for the two offshore substations (OSS) required for this project. This meant to design, build and test the radio communication package for the NnG OSSs.
Solution
After we were selected for the project, our solution was to develop a radio package that comprises three main elements to support the safe operation of the OSSs and wind farm.
To provide communications with crew transfer vessels, other support vessels, and local marine traffic for the OSS and the onshore control room, we provided a VHF radio system covering the marine VHF radio band. The solution chosen for this application uses Jotron VHF radios interconnected with the platform communications system and to the DMR repeater radio system. This provides users access to the marine radio system via portable digital UHF radios or from the control room over the communications links.
In addition to the marine radios, an aeronautical VHF radio system is used for communications with helicopter operations around both OSSs. Access to this system is also extended to the onshore control room and the OSS DMR system. This again provides access to the aeronautical channels to on and off site users. A Jotron solution was also selected for the aeronautical radio equipment.
For both the marine and aeronautical radio system, remote access via the on site DMR is restricted to authorized users by virtue of the repeater system being a digital system.
The UHF repeater system is designed to cover the wind farm area with UHF radio coverage. This provides on-site communications and is extended to both the marine and aeronautical radio systems. This is through a Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) repeater system supplied by Motorola. With eight digital channels available it provides full flexibility in operation.
Operation of all radio systems is possible from the onshore control room. Radio system monitoring alarms raised by the radio equipment are linked into the OSS control system and monitored onshore.
The systems were designed, built and Factory Acceptance Tested by our in-house engineers at our midlands-based test facility prior to shipping for installation within the OSS.