Offshore wind, wave and tidal energy applications: consenting and licensing manual

Annex B - Third Party Verification/Third Party Certification

1. MS-LOT requires an independent Third Party Verification/Certification ("TPV/TPC") Report and Certificate of the detailed device design, to the same standard as is likely to be required by developers for insurance purposes.

• Third Party Verification is required for test designs where an assessment of the design against the local environmental conditions is required.
• Third Party Certification is required for commercial developments where "Type certification" is available for off the shelf products. This then has to be assessed against the local environmental conditions.

2. The period of validity of certification should be the same as the duration of the consent. If necessary, additional certificates may be required during the operational life of a project.

3. The focus is on the assessment of the structural integrity and stability of the equipment. The developer is not required to provide an assessment of the whole development and its ability to generate power. The purpose of the requirement is to provide evidence to Scottish Ministers, the regulator and appropriate stakeholders that due diligence has been undertaken. The requirement should include the assessment of the design and, where appropriate, the constructed engineering to ensure survival of the structure in the environmental conditions prevalent at the site. The report must be provided by an independent accredited agency of recognised international standing and reputation. Applicants need to ensure that the verifying party is sufficiently experienced and reputable in the field.

4. The TPV is likely to take the form of a detailed report produced by the verifier in accordance with a specified level of resource and conditions (e.g., produced to ensure survivability of the structure at the specific location, to withstand a 50-year or a 100-year wave). The specific conditions to which the verifying body makes their assessment are for the applicant and verifier to discuss and agree. The level of assessment applied by the third party verifier should be made clear in the report.

5. Applicants should obtain a certificate, issued by the verifying body, which clearly states the level and, where appropriate, the limits of assessment to which the proposal has been verified. Where a developer is proposing new technology or technology that has limited deployment, and hence, there are limits with regard to safe installation and operation of equipment or structure this circumstance has to be set out by the verifier. In addition a monitoring plan must be provided in such circumstances to ensure that safety standards are met during the lifetime of the new or partially trialled technology.

6. Further guidance is available through the HSE and MCA document titled Regulatory expectations on moorings for floating wind and marine devices.