ECOFlow seeks to address three core challenges:
1) To understand the ecological effects of floating offshore wind infrastructure on different trophic levels across critical ecosystem drivers and within the context of climate change.
2) To develop new ways to monitor and assess the environmental effects of floating offshore wind infrastructure.
3) To utilise the robust evidence and tools developed to support the evolution of UK marine policy in adapting to the expansion of floating offshore wind, whilst safeguarding the marine environment.
ECOFlow will deliver impactful science to understand the effects of floating offshore wind infrastructure on the whole marine ecosystem. The ECOFlow programme recognises the need for targeted and coordinated research to improve the understanding of the marine environment's complexities in an increasingly busy seaspace while achieving the government’s ambitious targets for the delivery of floating offshore wind. The programme will aim to answer the most critical questions relating to the impacts of floating offshore wind infrastructure on marine ecosystems, including; seabirds, marine mammals and seabed habitats.
Unlike fixed turbines, floating offshore wind turbines can be anchored in deeper waters, unlocking new marine areas with stronger and more reliable wind patterns for renewable energy generation, comprising a critical role in advancing the UK’s climate goals. Extending into deeper water brings new environmental challenges that must be addressed to ensure we are meeting the UK’s environmental targets.
The British Energy Security Strategy (BESS) has set a target to install 5GW of floating offshore wind infrastructure by 2030. Expansion beyond this is expected, and by 2050 floating offshore wind is anticipated to generate 50% of the 125GW target set by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).
The ECOFlow research programme will focus on enhancing understanding of how marine ecosystems will respond to this planned large-scale expansion of floating offshore wind in UK waters. Integrating the disciplines of science and policy, the programme will address critical evidence needs of government and industry that are required to inform UK-wide decision making.
ECOWind is bringing together experts from science, policy and industry to understand how offshore wind affects ecosystems, and the species and habitats that make them, in order to reduce negative impacts on marine life while tackling climate change.
INSITE is an industry-funded research programme supporting rigorous, independent, high-quality research. Its mission is to build the scientific evidence base needed to understand the effects of MAS and to guide sustainable management and marine policy into the future.