ESCo-OWF - Collective Scientific Assessment on the effects of Offshore Windfarms (OWF) on Coastal and Marine Biodiversity and Socio-ecosystems

 

To establish the state of the art of scientific knowledge on the effects of offshore wind farms on marine biodiversity

 

Like any industrial use at sea, the deployment of offshore wind turbines is accompanied by effects on biodiversity and marine and coastal ecosystems. These effects are the subject of a growing number of scientific publications, particularly in the countries of Northern Europe where the development of offshore wind began several years ago. In a context where the development of marine renewable energies must integrate the preservation of biodiversity, this project gathers scientific experts and aims to establish the state of the art and the critical synthesis of knowledge on the effects of offshore wind farms based on the available scientific literature. It will specify whether the knowledge acquired abroad can be transposed to the ecosystems of the French coasts. This collective expertise will highlight the effects of the different pressures related to offshore wind farms, at different time scales, on all the physical and biological components of biodiversity, as well as on the associated marine and coastal socio-ecosystems that have feedback on it. The results of the expertise will be made public and widely disseminated in order to inform decision-makers and public debate.

 

Scientific contact: Cédric Bacher (Lebco), Nathalie Niquil (CNRS)

Collaborations: