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Vineyard Wind Announces Investment In US-Based Bubble Curtain Supplier
ThayerMahan to anchor acoustic mitigation systems headquarters in New Bedford as it expands to further serve the offshore wind industry
(NEW BEDFORD, MA) – Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), today announced a pilot program to deploy and test a secondary bubble curtain during foundation installation through a partnership with ThayerMahan, a firm that specializes in seabed surveys, acoustic mitigation and monitoring, and other maritime related services, with facilities in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The $5 million in funding comes from Vineyard Wind's Industry Accelerator Fund, which is administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC).
As a part of the agreement, ThayerMahan will move its headquarters for their bubble curtain acoustic mitigation product line to New Bedford, sharing part of the Foss Marine Terminal. ThayerMahan, partnered with the world leader in Big Bubble Curtain technology – Hydrotechnik-Luebeck (HTL), has committed to hiring locally for a wide array of positions, from deckhands to data scientists. The firm has already established a training/internship program with UMass Dartmouth, in addition to agreeing to assembly and manufacturing operations for future projects in New Bedford. Once this partnership is executed, ThayerMahan will be the first American company to provide bubble curtain services to the US Offshore Wind industry.
“Our agreement with ThayerMahan ensures that for the first time, a US-based company will perform the service of providing a bubble curtain mitigation system for an offshore wind project,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus S. Moeller. “We believe this is the first step of getting US firms experience in this new industry and sets the stage for rapid expansion in the coming years, particularly in our hometown of New Bedford.”
“The deployment of this bubble curtain by ThayerMahan marks another milestone in the construction of this nation-leading project and demonstrates offshore wind's potential to create local jobs and economic impact,” said AVANGRID CEO Pedro Azagra. “We are proud to come to this agreement with a local maritime services firm that will help us deliver on the successful, environmentally responsible installation of this project and launch the offshore wind industry in the United States.”
A bubble curtain, which is comprised of large, perforated hoses and specialized air compressors, is designed to absorb and dampen sound during foundation installation. The hoses are placed on the seafloor around the monopile before being filled by compress air. Once the hoses are inflated, the air escapes through the perforations and creates a barrier of bubbles that reduce noise.
These operations will be conducted from the Northstar Navigator, a vessel that will be operated out of the Port of New Bedford.
“We are proud to support Vineyard Wind in the construction of the United States' first large scale offshore wind development,” said ThayerMahan Chairman and CEO Michael Connor. We appreciate the support of Massachusetts Clean Energy Center in establishing a world class noise mitigation capability in New Bedford that will serve construction efforts throughout the region. We continue to hire motivated workers who want to be a part of an effort that helps deliver a sustainable energy future.”
Continue reading at VineyardWind.com