The German Offshore Wind Energy Association eV as our client has published our study on the distribution of guillemots and razorbills in the German North Sea.
The German North Sea is an important feeding and resting area for both seabird species. Not only the breeding birds from Heligoland spend the winter here, but also many birds from other breeding colonies, especially from Great Britain.
Together with our colleagues from IBL Umweltplanung, we analysed seasonal, regional and inter-species differences in the distribution of the birds based on an extensive data set. In particular, a possible connection with existing wind farms in the German North Sea EEZ was analysed.
The results of the study do not show general wind farm avoidance distances of the birds. However, there are seasonal as well as regional and species-specific differences that have to be taken into account when assessing possible impacts.
The study was commissioned by the German Offshore Wind Energy Association eV with funding from member companies BP Europa SE, CEID ApS, CI V Coöperatief UA, EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, Ørsted, OWP Gennaker GmbH, RWE Offshore Wind GmbH, Shell Deutschland GmbH, Vattenfall Vindkraft AB, WindMW GmbH and the scientific partners DanTysk Sandbank Offshore Wind GmbH & Co. KG, Northland Deutsche Bucht GmbH, Ocean Breeze Energy GmbH & Co. KG, OWP Butendiek GmbH & Co. KG, UMBO GmbH and Veja Mate Offshore Project GmbH.
You will find the BWO eV press release here:
How do auks react to offshore wind farms? – BWO – German Offshore Wind Energy Association eV
The study can be downloaded here:
https://bwo-offshorewind.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/202411_BWO_Studie_Trottellumme_final-1.pdf