Energy

Rubicon Signs Contract for Germany’s SUEDLink Project

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Project SUEDLINK  Interconnector Project; Onshore Cable Routes
Date

 

 2023-2028
Location

 

 Germany
Client

 

 TransnetBW GmbH
Business Sectors

 

 Energy Infrastructure
Services (Technical Disciplines)

 

 Provide archaeological fieldwork and reporting services for six lots which traverse a 462km corridor running through the states of Lower Saxony, Hesse, Thuringia, Bavaria and Baden Württemberg. Fieldwork will include watching briefs, trial trenching and open area excavations across varied and challenging landscapes.
Project Objectives/ Outcomes

 

 

 The overall project is a c. 700Km underground onshore cable linking Germany’s Baltic Coast to Southern Germany.

 

It is envisaged that a team of approximately 300 archaeologists will be required to deliver the works. Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd has brought together a JV called INFRA Europe JV to deliver the works. The JV comprised Rubicon Archäologie GmbH (new subsidiary of Rubicon Heritage), Network Archaeology (UK), SPAU (Germany), ADW Archäologische Dienstleistungen Wolff (Germany) and Südwest-Archäologie (Germany).

 

Objectives:

·       Identify, record and excavate archaeology which will be impacted by the proposed cable route.

·       Communicate effectively with the client in order to identify and mitigate potential program conflicts

·       Provide high quality reporting in order to keep the client compliant with all statutory authorities

 
Our Role

 
  • The identification of Cultural Heritage Assets within the cable route corridor
  • The identification of any potential impacts to those assets
  • The formulation of mitigation measures for significant adverse effects.
  • Implementation of mitigation strategies
  • Production of high quality reports on the results of all investigations
Geoscience Ireland Contact

 

 Colm.Moloney@rubiconheritage.com>

 

 

 

Celtic Interconnector; Onshore Investigation by Rubicon

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Project Celtic Interconnector Project; Onshore Cable Route
Date

 

 2019-2022
Location

 

 County Cork, Ireland
Client

 

 Eirgrid & Mott MacDonald Ireland Ltd
Business Sectors

 

 Energy Infrastructure
Services (Technical Disciplines)

 

 Provide archaeological and cultural heritage consultancy input for the Design Team as part of the planning process, to support the completion of assessments for the onshore underground cable route.
Project Objectives/ Outcomes

 

 

 The overall project is a c. 500Km subsea cable linking Ireland to France which will allow the exchange of electricity between the electrical transmission grids in Ireland and France. From the landing point south of Youghal the cable route traverses much of east Cork to the converter station at Knockraha, a distance of c. 35km.

Consideration of the cultural landscape is a statutory requirement of the planning process. Developers and archaeological consultants must meet preservation and conservation obligations, observing best practice, while contributing to the efficient delivery of development and infrastructure.

 

Objectives:

·       Provide a high-level understanding of the key likely significant constraints within each study area. This information, when considered in parallel with all other environmental constraints, assisted in the decision-making process and informed the design and planning for the proposed scheme.

·       Identify and assess the baseline archaeology and cultural heritage environment, evaluate the likely significant impacts that the proposed development will have on this environment and to provide mitigation measures

 

Outcomes

Our expert consultancy team undertook a detailed study of the cartographic and documentary sources for both the cable route and convertor station locations. This study identified all known cultural heritage receptors within and the cable corridor study area, as well as any areas of archaeological potential crossed by the cable route. Additional and supporting field data was collected and collated by our field teams and consultancy staff that examined the scheme environment. When combined, this data informed an assessment of the potential impacts of the scheme on the cultural heritage landscape, which helped to determine the appropriate mitigation measures against significant adverse impacts, assisting our clients in  the selection of an optimum route.
Our Role

 
  • The identification of Cultural Heritage Assets within the scheme landscape
  • The identification of any potential impacts to those assets (i.e Cultural Heritage Receptors)
  • The assessment of the significance of effects resulting from these impacts, and
  • The formulation of mitigation measures for significant adverse effects.
  • Compiling the Cultural Heritage Constraints Study of the cable route and convertor stations
  • Compiling the Cultural Heritage Chapter for EIAR
  • Photo shows Lisglasheen Ring Fort; Lidar & Air Photo
Geoscience Ireland Contact

 

 Colm.Moloney@rubiconheritage.com

Rubicon Heritage Services ltd

 

GDGeo – EUROPEAN PORT FUNDING STUDY

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Project

GDGeo to undertake an EU-wide study to determine potential funding models to improve Irish port infrastructure to the scale required to achieve the Government target of 7 GW of offshore wind in Irish waters by 2030.

 

Location

13 Irish Major Ports

Client

Wind Energy Ireland

Business Sectors

Wind Energy

Services (Multidisciplinary)

  • Study

Our Role: 

  • Port investigations

Project Objectives/ Outcomes

GDG to undertake an EU-wide study to determine potential funding models to improve Irish port infrastructure to the scale required to achieve the Government target of 7 GW of offshore wind in Irish waters by 2030.

The study highlighted that only one port on the island of Ireland (Belfast) out of 13 major ports has the required infrastructure to support offshore wind.

A key recommendation of the study was for the Irish Government to provide additional support for ports seeking to develop their infrastructure to serve the offshore renewables sector, potentially including state funding

 

 

 

Geoscience Ireland Contact |

Michelle Kelleher, Marketing Manager, Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions +353 87 278 5107 or mkelleher@gdgeo.com

See Wind Energy Report

J.B. Barry & Partners Irish Water Solar PV Programme

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Project

Irish Water Solar PV Programme

Location

Athlone Wastewater Treatment Plant, East Midlands, Ireland

Client

Irish Water

Business Sectors

Renewable Energy

Services (Multidisciplinary)

  • Civil
  • Energy
  • Electrical
  • Structural
  • Environmental

Our Role: 

JBB project deliverables included site assessment and solar array modelling and design, feasibility report, cost benefit analysis, glint & glare assessment, environmental reports and full planning application for a 130kW solar PV array. The proposed 130kW array is estimated to generate 104,000kWh/year which equates to 20% of the electrical energy consumed by the WwTP during the daytime period per year and will reduce CO₂ emissions from the site by 35 tonnes/year.

 

Project Objectives/ Outcomes

The main project objective is for Irish Water as a service provider to contribute to Ireland’s national energy efficiency targets by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy usage and carbon impacts in line with targets set by the Government for public bodies. As a public sector body, Irish Water is obliged to achieve a 50% reduction in CO2eq emissions and be 50% more energy efficient in the delivery of Water Services by 2030. Irish water has committed to being net zero carbon by 2040.  One of the measures to achieve this Irish Water intend to install solar pv arrays at a large number of their sites in order to reduce dependency on the national grid which will reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. The sites assessed range in size from 50kW up to 1.5MW arrays.

Geoscience Ireland Contact | Anne Marie Conibear <aconibear@jbbarry.ie>

ByrneLooby – Hawar Island Submarine Cable

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Project

Hawar Island Submarine Cable, Bahrain

Location

Hawar Island. Bahrain

Client

The Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain

Business Sectors

Marine

Environment

Services (Technical Disciplines)

  • Detailed Analysis

Our Role:

The Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain is planning to develop sections of Hawar Island, in line with Bahrain’s National Economic Strategy for 2030. This includes developing the island into a world class tourism destination. In order to support the development of the Island, the electricity supply needs to be upgraded to meet the expected demand.

It is proposed to use three 66kV submarine power cables and one fibre optic cable to connect Hawar to mainland Bahrain. In order to determine the most economical and environmentally feasible route for these cables and to obtain authority approvals.

Results:

ByrneLooby provided consultancy services that included a Feasibility Study, a Marine Cable Route Survey and an Environmental Impact Assessment. We also provided ongoing environmental support during construction.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes

 

Geoscience Ireland Contact | Michael Looby  (mlooby@byrnelooby.com)

Review of Irish Offshore Renewable Energy Sector’s Data & Information Requirements | GDG

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Project Title: 

Review of Irish Offshore Renewable Energy Sector’s Data & Information Requirements |GDG

Location:

Ireland

Client:

Geological Survey Ireland

Date:

2021

Business Sectors: 

Energy

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

Specialist offshore engineering consultancy, Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions (GDG), has published a review of data requirements, in the context of achieving 30 GW installed capacity of offshore renewable energy.

The report finds that achieving this ambitious target, as set out in the Program for Government 2020, will require key enabling process changes and bespoke data collection projects.

Our Role:

The report, which was commissioned by Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) – a Division of The Department of the Environment Climate and Communications (DECC) – follows a two-year study funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) into researching the implications for offshore wind energy developments along the east coast of Ireland. GDG’s input was to analyse the seabed conditions by interrogating different geophysical datasets as well as by collecting new geotechnical information.

The report, which is available to download from INFOMAR website, reviews INFOMAR’s current outputs and capabilities highlighting areas where additional value may be added to programme activities to support the development of ORE in Ireland, in particular offshore wind but also other relevant technologies and associated activities.

The document is aimed at INFOMAR funding and delivery bodies (Geological Survey Ireland [GSI], the Marine Institute, the Department of the Environment Climate and Communications [DECC]) and the ORE industry (developers, consultants, etc.), with a view to improving the understanding of how current INFOMAR programme deliverables can best be used by the Irish ORE sector, how they could be used in the near-term and long-term.

From a history of the INFOMAR programme, survey methods used, and near- and long-term ORE Sector data needs assessment (to 2030), through to G&G Data Gap analysis, industry responsibilities, case study and industry engagement recommendations, the 80-page fully reference document will be an extremely useful resource for any stakeholder involved in the development of renewable wind energy.

The document is available for download here: https://tinyurl.com/8szrvtdz

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Jack Walsh (jwalsh@gdgeo.com)

Ballinrea Solar Farm | Rubicon Heritage

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Project Title: 

Ballinrea Solar Farm | Rubicon Heritage

Date:

2017-2018

Location:

Co. Cork, Ireland

Client: 

Terra Solar II

Business Sectors: 

Energy

Services (Technical Disciplines):

Rubicon Heritage provided consultancy services to the design team for the proposed 34 Ha solar farm project in relation to archaeology, architectural heritage and cultural heritage. This included the preparation of a detailed archaeological impact assessment, commissioning of geophysical survey and liaison with the County archaeologist.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

The development site incorporates three Recorded Monuments (RMPs) which are protected sites. These needed to be precisely located and any related risks in relation to archaeology, architectural heritage and cultural heritage identified and characterised.

A comprehensive mitigation strategy was developed for the site. This included the identification and buffering out of the significant protected sites (to avoid any direct impacts) as well as the identification of actions to be carried out at construction phase to minimise the development impact. These included archaeological monitoring of groundworks and the designation of ‘no dig’ zones within the array layout where above-ground supports only would be used.

This contributed to the successful grant of planning permission for the project.

Our Role: 

  • Provision of advice to the design team in relation to archaeology, architectural heritage and cultural heritage issues and constraints
  • Baseline research
  • Field survey
  • Commission of specialist surveys (such as geophysical survey)
  • Liaison with key stakeholders such as the County archaeologist
  • Preparation of impact assessment and development of mitigation measures for archaeology, architectural heritage and cultural heritage

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Colm Moloney (colm.moloney@rubiconheritage.com)

Kakono 87 MW Hydropower Project | SLR Consulting

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Project Title: 

Kakono 87 MW Hydropower Project | SLR Consulting

Date:

2019 – ongoing

Location:

Tanzania

Client: 

Agence Française de Développement (AFD)

Business Sectors: 

Power, Renewables, Environmental & Social Governance

Services (Technical Disciplines):

Key issues that SLR is addressing:

  • Aquatic ecology;
  • Terrestrial fauna & flora;
  • Critical habitat;
  • Physical & economic displacement;
  • Downstream impacts;
  • Community health and safety;
  • Climate.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

Key deliverables by SLR:

  • ESIA;
  • ESMP;
  • Stakeholder Engagement Plan;
  • Resettlement Action Plan;
  • Eflow Assessment.

Our Role: 

SLR are preparing complementary studies to the existing ESIA prepared by TANESCO, to ensure compliance with World Bank and AfDB protocols and policies.

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Dr. Deirdre Lewis (dlewis@slrconsulting.com)

Kipeto Windfarm– 60 Turbines – 100MW | Intersocial Consulting

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Project Title

Kipeto Windfarm – 60 Turbines – 100MW | Intersocial Consulting

Date

2015-2019

Location

Kajiado plains of the Rift Valley region of Kenya

Client

Kipeto Energy PLC and the IFC

Business Sectors

Energy

Services (Technical Disciplines)

Negotiating community agreements on basis of consent.

Establishing compensation rates for land and designing resettlement houses and social programmes.

Identifying and addressing social impacts.

Building community capacity through engaging third-party experts to advise the community on agreements.

Project Objectives/Outcomes

The objective of the work was to support Kipeto to negotiate consent from the Maasai community for the project.  Without the consent of the affected people the project would not have proceeded as this is the international requirement for indigenous people.

Our Role

We were the lead social and resettlement consultancy training Kipeto’s community relations team for three years and developing a Resettlement Action Plan and community agreements. The landowners negotiated a 1.4% share and the community a 5% share of the gross annual income from the project.

Geoscience Ireland Contact

Eddie Smyth, Director, Intersocial Consulting Ltd. (eddiesmyth@intersocialconsulting.com)

Deep Hole Hammers for Geothermal | Mincon

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Project Title

Deep Hole Hammers for Geothermal

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