Danish offshore wind firm Ørsted and Dutch NGO Stichting Noordzeeboerderij, promoting the seaweed sector, signed a Letter of Intent to combine ‘mooring solutions with nature development in multi-use systems’. The collaboration is considered a stepping stone for realizing multi-use sea farms.
Stichting Noordzeeboerderij is currently working on a prototype of a nature-inclusive anchoring system, dubbed ‘Eco-anchor’ and designed for several multi-use activities in offshore wind farms.
The move by Ørsted aligns with its plans to explore nature-inclusive multi-use concepts, considering the growth of wind farms at sea.
The Eco-anchor project, supported by the AFAS Foundation, is key in upscaling seaweed production in the Netherlands in a sustainable way, the NGO noted.
Currently, seaweed production in the North Sea occurs on a pilot scale. The aim is to grow towards 500km2 of nature-inclusive seaweed cultivation within wind farms by 2030, making wind farms multi-use farms.
It is essential for these types of farms to respect ecological boundaries so that it is a future-proof production activity.The ideal Multi-use sea farm seeks synergy between nature, food production and generating energy,
…the NGO said.
The Eco-anchor will be designed such that it can be used for various multi use activities, like nature-inclusive seaweed cultivation, mussel cultivation or even floating solar panels.
Ørsted is the first wind farm owner to express their support for this development.
The Eco-anchor prototype will be ready for testing later this year. It will be first tested at the offshore North Sea Innovation Lab, before heading out to an offshore wind farm.
See also:
Ørsted plans carbon neutral supply chain by 2040
