Offshore environmental data key to the construction of gigascale floating wind arrays in French Mediterrean is now flowing ashore via a new-look research buoy brought online this week in deepwater off Occitanie.

The ‘Blue Oracle’ unit,developed by technology outfit Ocergy to collect high resolution metocean and bio-diversity data, will remain moored at site, 30km off Leucate, for one year, as part of a project involving French energy agency Ademe and an industry group led by developer Skyborn Renewables.

“This key milestone closes the first year of the project, and the scientific teams are excited to embark in the data acquisition and analysis year-long phase, which is expected to provide valuable biodiversity and environmental information,” said Christian Cermelli, president of Ocergy subsidiary Ocergie SAS.