Legacy of wind farms probed amid green energy expansion

Pioneering scientists are exploring the impact of British wind farms on the seabed amid plans to build up to 25,000 more offshore turbines.

The project led by the University of Essex saw researchers charter the first private survey vessel to examine one of the oldest active offshore wind farms in the UK.

Marine scientists will also compare the effects of decommissioned oil platforms to get a snapshot of how fossil fuel and renewable energy assets vary in their impacts.

They will discover how the turbines may affect biodiversity, carbon storage, and seabed composition.

It comes as The EU’s European Green Deal suggests building thousands of wind farms in the North Sea to hit carbon neutrality in 2050.

Watch the video below to find out more about the research

Now scientists want to discover how the turbines affect the seas as Britain also expands green energy production.

Dr Natalie Hicks, from the School of Life Sciences, led the expedition to an operational Ørsted offshore wind farm, off the coast of Cumbria.

Dr Hicks said: “This research is hugely important.

“There are not enough specialist scientific vessels to gather the evidence in time so collaborating with industry is key to gathering data.

“We know our demand for Net Zero energy targets means we have seen an increase in offshore wind farms, so understanding any environmental effects of these wind farms is urgent.

“We hope this research will feed directly into policy decision-making around offshore wind consenting.”

And added: “We know we are going to see an increase in offshore wind, so timely and evidence-based decisions are going to need to be made by policymakers.

“This science will hopefully underpin their decision-making, and impact on Government policy.”

The team used new scientific equipment and techniques to sample the sea floor, working with colleagues from wind farm operator Ørsted, the University of St Andrews and the government's marine experts, the Centre of Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS).

A spokesperson for CEFAS said: “It is critical to scientifically understand offshore structures and their effects and impacts on the environment, and this needs us to actually get out there and collect the data.

“Too often we make assumptions about what is occurring in our marine environment when considering human activities, we need the type of research activity highlighted here to determine whether our assumptions are correct and to provide more confidence in our understanding.

“Such improved confidence is a vital element of the integrated scientific understanding needed for informed decision making towards ensuring the long-term future of our marine environment.”

The study will look at the footprint of the wind farms between and away from the turbines.

Scientific equipment, including a camera that digs into the sea floor, was used to record, and collect samples from around the site.

Samples were taken from as close to 50m to the turbines and as far as 1 mile away, to identify any footprint of the farm on the seabed.

The researchers will use environmental DNA (eDNA) – which measures trace samples of genetic material of species in sediment - to explore biodiversity, testing the use of this technology.

Pictures of species below by Dr Philippe Laissue

Sediment samples will also be used to measure carbon, sediment type and other compounds such as zinc and lead.

The research comes hot on the heels of a University of Essex study which found pollution was 10,000% higher around North Sea fossil fuel platforms than open water.

Professor David Paterson, from the University of St Andrews, said. “It's important we take learnings from the oil and gas industry on the environmental effects of oil and gas operations and decommissioning and effectively apply these to the offshore wind industry as projects mature towards later life phases.

“That is why this research is so very important.”

At present the samples are being studied and it is hoped the project will help Ørsted and the wider industry to better understand the benefits and any impacts of wind turbines on the seabed, as they look to develop new sites in the UK to meet the nation’s net zero energy demands.

An Ørsted spokesperson said: “Developing renewable energy in harmony with nature is both possible and necessary to address the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.

“Through collaboration with academic bodies and other stakeholders, our aim is to help develop wider scientific understanding of the potential ecological benefits and impacts of developing critical green energy projects.

“By taking a science-led approach, we can ensure that renewable energy, such as offshore wind, continues to be deployed sensitively and sustainably.”