Features

Activity is heating up along the nation’s coastlines as the Biden Administration seeks to meet its goal of deploying 30,000 MW of offshore wind energy by 2030. Yet before these projects can become reality, a range of nearshore and offshore surveys are needed to assess site suitability, environmental impacts, and ensure regulatory compliance.

The ocean is an enigmatic and uncharted realm that has long fascinated humanity. The emergence of autonomous underwater vehicles presents the opportunity to gain new insights and groundbreaking discoveries in this vast region, but getting there is just the first step.

Today’s underwater robotic technology is firmly divided into two distinct product segments: Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs).

As we pass the first third of the 2020s, the UN’s decision to mark them as The Ocean Decade appears to be bearing fruit. Take The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, for example, a collaborative international effort that aims to catalyze the mapping of the entire ocean floor by 2030.

The East Coast has been described as the Saudi Arabia of wind energy. Powerful, consistent winds off the coastline make it an abundant clean energy solution, capable of supplying vast amounts of affordable, reliable power.

There are ten times more suppliers involved in a typical wind development than one for oil or gas. In addition to the administrative burden for installers and developers, a fragmented supply chain means multiple supplier interfaces, which may lead to inefficiencies and costly project delays.