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The Crown Estate has committed an impressive £7.3 million (€8.76 million) to fund five research projects. These initiatives aim to fast-track the UK's journey to a net-zero energy system while safeguarding marine ecosystems, reflecting the growing need to balance renewable energy development with environmental stewardship.
The projects address critical challenges posed by offshore wind farms. They seek to fill knowledge gaps about their environmental impacts, propose strategies to mitigate those effects, expand access to marine data, and explore synergies like co-locating fisheries with wind farms.
Among the funded projects is the innovative Disco Scallops, which has already demonstrated a 500 percent increase in scallop catch through a new low-impact fishing method. This research supports static fishing techniques in areas typically off-limits to mobile fishing, such as marine protected zones and offshore wind farms.
The ECOCHANGE initiative aims to understand how offshore wind farms alter marine ecosystems. By examining how wind farm structures support new marine life and how habitats like sandy seabeds are impacted, the project aims to uncover the broader ecological ripple effects, including their influence on oceanic food chains.
Meanwhile, the MDE Heritage Accelerator is focused on enhancing access to marine heritage data collected during wind farm development. This tool will help regulators, developers, and advisors make faster, more informed decisions, streamlining processes while protecting underwater cultural assets.
The POWEM project (Pilot of Offshore Wind Environmental Mitigation) explores innovative methods to minimize harm to marine life. Two pilot initiatives stand out: painting turbine blades to prevent bird collisions and reducing construction noise to protect sensitive aquatic species.
The S3 Subsea Soundscape project also designs a novel framework to assess underwater noise conditions and track marine mammal activity in the Celtic Sea. These insights will guide environmental evaluations for future floating offshore wind developments, ensuring minimal disruption to underwater ecosystems.
These projects are part of the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme (OWEC), spearheaded by the Offshore Wind Industry Council, Scottish Government Marine Directorate, Historic England, Defra, and the ORE Catapult. The Crown Estate's funding underpins a coordinated approach to balancing renewable energy goals with marine conservation.
Earlier this year, the Crown Estate launched a Supply Chain Accelerator with a £50 million fund to bolster early-stage investment in the UK's offshore wind supply chain. This initiative aims to de-risk early development stages, paving the way for faster deployment of offshore wind projects and ensuring the UK remains a leader in renewable energy innovation.
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