Global Marine begins work on Pioneering UK Wind Energy Project

Global Marine partners with Talisman Energy (UK) Limited, Scottish & Southern Energy and the Department of Trade and Industry on the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project in Scotland’s Beatrice Oil Field

Chelmsford, UK:  Global Marine Systems Limited has begun subsea cable installation work on the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project (Beatrice Project), a flagship project for offshore wind energy development.

This month’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Energy Review highlighted that up to a third of the UK’s oil and gas generating capacity will reach the end of its life over the next twenty years.  The Beatrice Project could help in addressing the DTI’s strategy to increase the proportion of electricity generated from renewables to 20% - a five fold increase from today’s level.

Commenting today, Ian Gaitch, Renewable Energy Manager at Global Marine said, “It is an important project involving industry, academia and government collaboration which we are pleased to be part of as we continue to diversify our core telecom cable installation experience into other sectors such as the renewable energy sector.”

The initial project will use two wind turbines 25km off the east coast of Scotland to test the viability of the Beatrice Oil Field as a future site for a commercial deep water wind farm.

Using its Cable Ship Sovereign, Global Marine will install two main cables, each comprising a power and fibre optic cable, to connect the two 5 megawatt turbines to Talisman’s Beatrice Alpha oil platform.

The cable installation will enable Talisman to power Beatrice Alpha using energy generated from the turbines and also remotely control and monitor certain aspects of the turbines’ performance from the oil platform, such as altering blade pitch and sending back turbine performance data for analysis.

After a competitive tender process, Global Marine was selected on the basis of its leading edge technology, extensive industry experience of wind farm installation projects and innovative solution to Talisman Energy’s specific requirements.

Allan MacAskill, Wind Farm Project Director at Talisman Energy added, “Global Marine has a significant track record in providing cable installation to the renewable energy sector which, when coupled with their industry leading expertise and technology, made them a natural partner of choice for this project.”

Global Marine’s experience in the renewable energy sector includes working on the Kentish Flats offshore wind farm, Kent, in summer 2005; Horns Rev, the world’s largest offshore wind farm in 2002 and wind farms at Blyth Northumberland in 2000.

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For more information please contact:

Deborah Bartlett
Marketing & Communications
Global Marine Systems Limited
Tel: +44 (0) 1245 702105
Email: deborah.bartlett@globalmarinesystems.com