Data-Driven Planning for the Co-Existence of Offshore Wind and Nature-Inclusive Designs

Offshore wind is a rapidly growing sector of the global renewable energy industry yet habitat loss due to coastal and offshore development is among the most significant of threats to marine biodiversity and ecosystem health. There is increasing pressure on offshore energy developers to show commitment to environmental protection and the fostering of innovative, restorative strategies in line with local marine spatial plans and developing policy. The number of Nature-Inclusive Design (NID) approaches with potential to protect ocean biodiversity against the impact of offshore developments and offer opportunity for localized restoration and enhancement is growing and there is great potential for the co-location of offshore wind farms and nature restorative actions. Implementation of these approaches needs to be strategically and diligently planned for to deliver a net-positive impact on local biodiversity and the wider marine ecosystem, ensuring there is minimal risk of a consequent negative biological impact. There are an increasing number of potential NID approaches a developer can plan for at an individual offshore site, including infrastructurally integrated solutions or stand-alone units within the wind farm array. Considering the early stage of many of these innovative solutions and on-going research into their potential positive impact both in the short and long term, making early-stage decisions regarding the right-fit solution can pose a challenge for the offshore developer. There are effective measures we can take to identify potentially viable NID solutions for an individual offshore site and using best available local marine data, assess the degree of suitability via spatial planning efforts prior to investment and deployment into the marine space. This paper explores the potential for data-driven technology to assist in this process. Proprietary tools developed by Restore Innovation Ltd to support Offshore Renewable Energy developers in the early-stage planning phase for a NID are discussed. These data-driven tools include a) an NID solution-to-site match making platform b) a marine spatial planning tool testing the degree of suitability of an NID solution and c) communication tools with the objective of impactfully highlighting the potential positive impacts of NID solutions to key stakeholders and regulatory bodies. Utilization of these innovative practices and data-led decision making at the early-stage of a project can not only help mitigate against environmental impact and increase the opportunity for local ecosystem restoration, but also increase the social acceptability of a project through the increased awareness and understanding of how wind farms can coexist with biodiversity and our marine ecosystem, contributing to wider conservation efforts.