RWE, the prominent German energy company, has selected Dutch offshore survey services provider Fugro to carry out a detailed geophysical survey off the coast of Thorsminde, Denmark, as part of the Thor offshore wind farm development. Thor is set to become Denmark's largest offshore wind project.

Fugro's involvement in the project entails the deployment of up to three survey vessels to conduct an extensive pre-construction survey, including the identification of unexploded ordnance (UXO) within a range of approximately 34 kilometers off the Danish west coast. The data collected will play a critical role in defining the optimal cable routes and precise turbine locations for RWE's Thor offshore wind farm, providing essential insights for the project's development.

RWE's Project Director for the Thor Offshore Wind Farm, Günther Fenle, expressed anticipation about leveraging Fugro's collected data to finalize the wind farm layout and determine the routes for the inter-array and export cables, marking a significant step towards commencing offshore construction activities in 2025.

Fugro's Service Line Director of Hydrography and Cable Route Surveys, Marc Kebbel, highlighted the wide array of survey techniques being employed, including offshore and nearshore standard geophysical and UXO survey methods, a seismic land refraction survey, and the use of Fugro's rapid airborne multibeam mapping system (RAMMS) for comprehensive mapping of the shallow area and beach in the transition zone.

The UXO campaign for RWE's Thor offshore wind farm is scheduled to continue until December 2023, with additional complexities arising from the challenging metocean conditions posed by Thor's exposed offshore location, characterized by high waves and strong winds, particularly during the autumn and winter seasons.

Fugro emphasized its enduring partnership with RWE in the development of sustainable energy solutions, reaffirming its status as a reliable collaborator in the renewable energy sector.

Thor, projected to have a capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MW), will stand as Denmark's most extensive offshore wind farm upon completion. It is expected to be fully operational no later than 2027, generating sufficient green electricity to power over a million Danish households.

RWE secured the rights to build the Thor offshore wind farm through a lottery system in late 2021, underscoring its commitment to expanding its renewable energy portfolio.