New research shows how offshore wind could be beneficial to biodiversity

Sustainable energy

United Kingdom – A new international data collection project has brought together disparate seabed biodiversity data from across the North Sea into a single data set, assisting in the advancement of offshore wind expansion while also identifying how biodiversity net gain can be delivered in tandem.

The North Sea Net Gain study, led by The Crown Estate in collaboration with the Dutch-led Rich North Sea program, aims to ensure that decisions on the next generation of offshore wind farms are based on the most up-to-date data and result in net biodiversity gain.

The project is supported by a £25 million investment from The Crown Estate’s Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme (OWEC) and The Rich North Sea programme. It’s being delivered through an international collaboration between the UK government’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), and it’s being backed up by a project advisory group that includes members from Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

The study itself responds to a pressing need to gain a better understanding of the seabed’s biodiversity on a larger scale. The study’s findings have significantly improved understanding of the seabed thanks to the use of a big data approach, the development of big data infrastructure, and the expansion of an existing dataset. Such approaches are likely to play a key role in the North Sea’s long-term development of offshore wind. This study’s findings provide crucial context for decision-makers.

OneBenthic

Data from industry, government, and academic sources from seven countries has been combined into a central data set with nearly 50,000 seabed samples and over 1.4 million records, as well as modeling techniques for mapping benthic (seafloor) biodiversity across international borders. Under the name ‘OneBenthic,’ two new online apps have been created as part of this. Developers, regulators, and decision makers can use the OneBenthic Data Extraction Tool to access the study’s enhanced big data. In addition, the OneBenthic Layers Tool allows users to quickly access benthic biodiversity models created as part of this and other research projects.

Other OWEC projects that will develop additional biodiversity knowledge, such as POSEIDON, a four-year project led by Natural England that will improve knowledge of environmental risks across UK waters, are already using the enhanced data, including POSEIDON, a four-year project launched in January 2022 and led by Natural England. The projects will contribute to a better understanding of the seabed and, once completed, will be added to the OneBenthic Layers tool. Throughout the project, international collaboration has aided the flow of data between UK and European data repositories, increasing the accessibility of seabed biodiversity data.

The North Sea was one of the first regions in the world to build large-scale offshore wind farms, allowing for the testing and advancement of new technologies. This study’s approach could serve as a model for other regions, such as the Celtic Sea, as well as global regions where offshore wind energy is being considered.

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