Orkney research to support West of Orkney Windfarm project

A new student has arrived at Heriot-Watt’s Orkney campus – with the goal of supporting the future operation of the West of Orkney Windfarm.

Hamish Drain (24), from Edinburgh, has just begun a three-and-a-half-year PhD programme in Orkney which will investigate how to improve access to offshore wind infrastructure in challenging environments.

His studies will include looking at ways to improve weather and wave forecasts at the West of Orkney site, using satellite data and potentially AI and machine learning to develop optimised local forecasts using large domain data.

It is hoped the results will help workers and vessels access the site on more days of the year, by extending the number of ‘weather windows’ available when construction begins later this decade.

The results will be specific to the West of Orkney Windfarm, which will lie 30km west of Orkney in waters up to 60 metres deep; however, the methodology will be applicable to the offshore wind sector as whole.

The project is being funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership and is being sponsored by the West of Orkney project.  The PhD will be supervised by Dr David Woolf, who lives in and works Orkney, and will include a placement with the West of Orkney team.

West of Orkney Windfarm project director Stuart McAuley says:

“Our project is a pioneering windfarm which will include some of the deepest fixed bottom foundations ever installed, in one of the windiest sites in Europe.

“Any measures which can improve our understanding and forecasting of wave conditions and weather on site could potentially extend the ‘weather windows’ for installation and lead to the project being delivered faster, cheaper and at lower risk.

“This information will also be vital when the project becomes operational and local teams will require access to maintain the farm.

“We’re delighted that Hamish is on board and look forward to supporting him during his PhD,” Stuart says.

Hamish will be based at the Orkney Renewable Innovation Campus (ORIC) in Stromness and will be helped in his studies by lead academic supervisor David Woolf, who has a background in climate and wave physics. He’ll also be supported by Simon Waldman and Karen Alexander from Heriot Watt, who provide expertise in energy technologies, ocean modelling, marine planning and social science.

“The West of Orkney Windfarm is a challenging project, and our ambition is to find ways to improve accessibility – so the right people and the right vessels can access the site on as many operational days as possible,” David says.

“Alongside his climate work, Hamish’s studies may also look at technological ideas which can enable access in poorer conditions and local ways of working which can maximise installation capability and readiness when the conditions allow.

“Our discoveries here will augment our understanding of the challenges the industry faces and will be useful to other offshore wind projects in Scotland and beyond,” David concludes.

Hamish, who has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and masters in renewable energy, has already secured accommodation in Orkney and is looking forward to the challenge.

“I’m thrilled to be working on a PhD in such an exciting and fast-moving area of research, and which will potentially have a direct and positive impact on a leading offshore wind scheme.

“I can’t wait to get stuck in,” Hamish concludes.