Renewable energy developer and consultancy, Dulas has signed four framework agreements to provide meteorological (met) mast installation work on new onshore wind projects of SSE, Innogy, Brookfield Renewable UK and E.ON.

The agreements will see Dulas carry out detailed site assessments, construction programme design, and the calibration of anemometers and other measurement instruments. Dulas will also undertake the installation, maintenance and eventual decommissioning of the masts themselves, in line with the wider project timeline.

While a range of technologies are now available to developers looking to carry out wind energy assessments, met masts remain the preferred option for a number of specific site types, including those in emerging wind markets and at complex sites. And, as some developers move towards co-locating met masts with remote sensing units, Dulas has seen increased demand for its mast installation services from independent developers and utilities.

Under the terms of the framework agreements, Dulas will support mast installation at development sites across the UK. As part of the mast installation work provided by Dulas, the business will examine site locations consistent with desktop studies carried out by the developer’s wind yield team, as well as those proposed by the client, before advising on the best location for installation of the met masts.

Following the approval of planning permission, Dulas will guide the client in identifying the mast instrumentation that best fits the needs of both developer and the project itself. This instrumentation will then be calibrated and tested in-house at Dulas’s dedicated facilities, with a data link to be established with the developer’s operations.

Dulas director Alistair Marsden said: “While the past couple of years have seen a number of developers pause on new site development, following the removal of Government support for the onshore wind sector, it’s clear that a significant number are returning to projects with the renewed possibility of financing from PPA agreements.

“Developers and operators have a number of technologies to choose from when carrying out wind resource assessment, but some are better suited to particular project conditions than others. At Dulas, we always take the time to gain a full understanding of each site, allowing us to suggest the right mix of technologies that will guarantee bankability.

“However, as a mature wind market, many new and prospective sites across the UK are quite complex in nature. As a tried and trusted technology, met masts are often the best means of assessing these sites, and we’re therefore delighted to provide Brookfield Renewable UK, SSE, E.ON and Innogy with our full range of met mast services.”