Wind Farm Biophysical Surveys

The client purchased a proposed wind farm development. They were seeking regulatory advice on the data that had been collected to date and what surveys Vertex recommend to be completed. The client was looking to avoid regulatory delays that they have seen on current wind farms that they were constructing. Vertex incorporated options to address concerns that they had.

Upon review, Vertex advised an approach to meet the client’s needs that while reducing the regulatory risks. Vertex proposed options for them to address their risk tolerance while advising of budget implications at a time when the site layout is preliminary.

Upon review of the existing field data, we advised that with the lack of background information on the data collected and the length of time that had passed AEP would likely ask for surveys to be repeated. Our team completed a comprehensive desktop review and provided the information to the client for consideration prior to the start of fieldwork. We focused our survey effort firstly on the areas that are most critical to the project, being the turbines, substations, and access roads. Once there were fewer collector line options being considered we would review those options. The client saw significant cost savings due to our recommendations.

Our desktop constraint mapping allowed the client to adjust the proposed site layout prior to any survey being completed.