Launch of the Energy and Nature Database Collecting Wind Projects with a Positive Impact on the Marine Environment
The world is facing two strongly interconnected crises: climate change and biodiversity loss. While there are known approaches to tackle these challenges, a solution for one can inadvertently exacerbate the other. This is how the report “Avoidance and Minimisation of Environmental Impacts from Offshore Wind & Grid” begins, recently launched by the OCEaN coalition and dedicated to the relationship between wind energy and biodiversity.
The document was presented on October 30 during the international conference “Strong Winds, Thriving Seas,” organized by RGI and WindEurope. Spanning 52 pages, it offers a list of measures that wind farm and grid developers can adopt to minimize potential impacts on marine ecosystems, with a specific focus on damage prevention and minimization. These are essential concepts for the future of European seas.
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Wind Energy and Biodiversity: Focus on Planning
Today, the countries bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea are committed to achieving ambitious energy transition goals, maximizing offshore wind development. This will mean initiating intense human activities in already fragile and threatened natural ecosystems. “However, by responsibly planning offshore wind farms and grids, we can minimize further pressures on nature from these developments,” the authors explain.
Prevention and damage minimization measures can be applied at every stage of the wind infrastructure’s life cycle.
Design and planning of all activities within a wind farm are fundamental to avoiding environmental impacts, the Coalition explains. For example, during the planning phase, micrositing (the process of determining the specific locations of wind turbines) is carried out in combination with infrastructure design and material selection. To enable responsible decisions and avoid negative impacts like collisions and displacements, it is essential to conduct detailed site investigations and mapping.
“A comprehensive baseline assessment is necessary at all offshore wind development sites, and careful micrositing of the infrastructure should be conducted,” the report states. “For example, turbine layout design could consider the migratory routes of seabirds by grouping turbines according to flight paths.”
The Construction Phase
The construction phase also requires special attention to ensure a positive relationship between wind energy and biodiversity. Before work begins, the document emphasizes the need to prepare a detailed and comprehensive construction protocol to reduce the number of installation vessel trips to only those that are strictly necessary.
Additionally, during the turbine installation phase, noise emissions are released both above and below water, potentially causing harm to wildlife or driving away birds, fish, and marine mammals. However, there are many ways to minimize noise, such as using bubble curtains, barriers, or vibro-piling techniques.
Wind Energy and Biodiversity: Best Practices Needed
To support action, the coalition has also launched the Energy and Nature database. This platform collects innovative projects demonstrating how offshore wind and grid infrastructures can enhance or restore marine ecosystems and positively impact local communities.
At the same event, OCEaN members (Offshore Coalition for Environment and Nature) urged the incoming European Commission and member states to ensure robust maritime spatial planning and better use ecological and social criteria in dedicated auctions. In their joint statement, they called for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Marine Spatial Planning Directive, the Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy (ORES), the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.