Leading Light Wind Partners with Rutgers University to Support Oceanographic and Ecological Monitoring

Just two months after winning an award from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), Leading Light Wind is moving forward and continuing to make progress on its project development activities in the Garden State. At the end of February, in collaboration with Rutgers University and MARACOOS, we launched a glider into the Atlantic Ocean to explore the waters within and surrounding the Leading Light Wind lease area, marking a pivotal step forward in our efforts to study the marine environment and deliver on our industry leading track record of setting the standard for responsible development.?

The glider is a low power, underwater vehicle designed to operate in the ocean up to 1000m depth – it has no propeller but dives and climbs in a zigzag pattern and includes technology that allows it to operate autonomously and without collision. The data collected over the glider’s 3–4-week mission is meaningful in many ways; critically, these data will be uploaded from the glider in real time and shared directly with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS). Researchers and modelers across the Mid-Atlantic region will use the glider data to support their ongoing research efforts and data tools to inform weather predictions, support natural resources management, contribute to climate studies, identify marine species moving through the region, and expand on existing water column composition data in the New York Bight.

A Pledge to Preserve: Leading Light Wind is dedicated to operating safely and being a careful steward of the ocean throughout the lifecycle of our project—from development through construction, to operation, and eventual decommissioning. This underwater glider mission is planned to survey the lease area and inform the efficacy of future monitoring initiatives. It also exemplifies our promise to engage local stakeholders and academic institutions from the outset and ensure a collaborative approach to environmental stewardship and sustainable development.?

"As Rutgers University continues to lead in research and innovation, our collaboration with Leading Light Wind in launching the underwater glider project signifies a significant moment in advancing oceanographic science and sustainable energy development," said Josh Kohut, Professor of Marine and Coastal Sciences and Co-Chair, Rutgers Offshore Wind Energy Collaborative. "This initiative underscores our commitment to leveraging our academic excellence in service of environmental stewardship and societal benefit. We are proud to join forces with Leading Light Wind and collaborate on the responsible stewardship of our ocean resources.”?

Project and Data Transparency: The glider launch is one initiative of many that Leading Light Wind will implement to uphold its commitment to data sharing. By collaborating with MARACOOS and entering a Memorandum of Understanding, we have pledged to make the data gathered by the glider and future initiatives accessible to the public. MARACOOS’ unique capability to collect and disseminate crucial ocean and coastal data in real-time empowers local communities, enables sustainability decision-making, and supports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on weather-related research and forecasting. Our partnership with MARACOOS not only underscores our dedication to transparency but also enhances access to vital weather, climate, and environmental research information for over 78 million people residing in the greater Mid-Atlantic region.?

Rutgers graduate student?Jessica Leonard and Leading Light Wind’s Brendan Crowe launch the glider into waters off New Jersey’s coast, beginning its 3–4-week mission.

“The most important aspect of my career is to conduct research that impacts the greater community. With a background in physics and marine sciences, I knew I wanted to work in a position where I could use all the skills I picked up both through school and my personal life,” said Jessica Leonard, Glider Technician and RUCOOL Masters of Operational Oceanography student. “The data collected by the underwater glider is publicly available for anybody with an internet connection to use, and to be able to supply such data is such an important part of what I do. Thanks to Leading Light Wind, we will be able to provide marine mammal and fisheries data to better understand and assess the behavioral dynamics within these wind lease areas.”?

Fostering Community Benefits and Research: The glider data will build upon existing survey data in the New York Bight to support a real-time listening network for the conservation of marine mammals. Additional data will also be gathered that will be invaluable for delineating the impacts of climate change versus other oceanic activities.?

Advancing Our Infrastructure Monitoring Plan: Our $35 million funding commitment to environmental initiatives includes $7.5 million for Leading Light Wind’s Strategic Environmental Initiatives Fund that will invest in environmental initiatives and scientific research. Through coordination with MARACOOS and Rutgers University, we aim to enhance the effectiveness and utility of future initiatives, including the deployment of additional gliders and turbine sensors upon project operation. This fund serves as a testament to our dedication to advancing sustainable infrastructure monitoring and responsible ocean stewardship.?

“MARACOOS and its partners provide the information needed to protect lives, property, and coastal economies,” said Dr. Gerhard Kuska, Executive Director of MARACOOS.? “This partnership is a model for how renewable energy projects can provide high quality, federally certified data that support decisions for the future of our ocean ecosystems, coastal industries, and the well-being of the diverse stakeholders along our coasts.”??

A Model for Future Initiatives: As the glider embarks on this important mission, we are celebrating the power of collaboration in achieving significant environmental milestones. Rutgers University and MARACOOS are not just Leading Light Wind’s partners in this venture but are our partners in building a more sustainable future.??

You can follow along with the glider’s progress (named Maracoos02) at the link here: https://marine.rutgers.edu/cool/data/gliders/ and on MARACOOS OceansMap at https://maracoos.org/oceansmap/.?