Offshore wind farms
The expansion of the use of offshore wind energy is a key factor in developing renewable energies as an alternative to fossil fuels or nuclear power. The implementation of the stipulated objectives of the Federal Government, as outlined in the “Erneuerbare Energien Gesetz (EEG)”, will bring new types of utilization and new structures into marine ecosystems. To meet the goals of 20 GW of energy produced by 2030 and 40 GW by 2040, each year one to two offshore wind farms will have to be built and feed the power they produce into the grid. To develop the use of offshore wind energy in an environmentally compatible way, it is necessary to conduct target-oriented research before, during and after the construction of a wind farm in order to identify potential conflicts and resolve problems at an early stage.
BioConsult SH has been performing ecological research on the effects of offshore wind farms on wildlife for more than ten years and conducted the first environmental impact study for an offshore wind farm in German waters. The documentation of and research on the impact of offshore construction on marine mammals and seabirds are an important field of work for BioConsult SH. Our environmental monitoring studies before, during and after the construction phase of a project follow the specifications of the standard investigation concept of the BSH (StuK4, 2013).
Our current projects include several German offshore wind farms in the North and Baltic Sea, associated conversion stations, as well as various smaller offshore installations. With several environmental impact studies and numerous research projects in Germany, Denmark, France, and the UK, we actively participate together with our partners, in facing and overcoming the challenges that are associated with offshore wind energy.
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