Straight forward: offshore connectivity for Neart na Gaoithe

Some 20 km from the Scottish mainland, the Neart na Gaoithe wind farm is being built. It is an impressive project, as the wind farm will cover as much as 105 km² and some 54 wind turbines. As such, it was given an evocative name: namely, in Scottish Gaelic, Neart na Gaoithe means “the power of the wind. HSM Offshore, which is managing part of this project, can also count on the strength of Citymesh. Indeed, we provided temporary connectivity (internet on board) on the two OHVSs (Offshore High Voltage Sub-Stations).

Citymesh’s mission for Neart na Gaoithe was clear: to provide connectivity until there is a submarine fiber optic cable for Internet, because no connectivity is not an option. As you can imagine, in the midst of an open sea, this is no easy task. There are no nearby antennas or masts to call on.

Although Citymesh already has a lot of experience with offshore projects, Neart na Gaoithe required a unique approach. This is because usually connectivity needs to be provided for ships, whereas here it involved two OHVSs. An OHVS is a crucial part of a wind farm. This is because it includes all the high-voltage components, which convert the power generated by the wind turbines to the right voltage and transport it via a submarine cable to the power grid on land. The OHVS is therefore directly connected to all the wind turbines. The first OHVS was completed in late 2022. Citymesh also provides temporary wireless connectivity for a second OHVS in 2023.

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Let temporary wireless connectivity in all circumstances be just one of Citymesh’s strengths.
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From the beginning, the solution ensured that information was sent from the OHVSs to the land-based teams and vice versa to allow smooth bidirectional communication. This could include data collected by the OHVS’s sensors on air conditioning, heating, electrical connections, and monitoring of various instruments, engines and valves, the so-called “work network. Thus, the teams ashore knew that everything was working completely as it should.

We also provided the team at OHVS with indispensable communication tools. After all, anyone who is away from home for long periods of time knows how important it is to keep in touch with loved ones. Thanks to Citymesh’s VoIP, the staff aboard the OHVS had several ways to make calls or send messages to family and friends, such as via Whatsapp or Skype. Watching a movie or series on Netflix was also among the options, which falls under the Leisure network heading.

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