Overview

The ECOWind Programme seeks to uncover how fixed offshore wind (OW) farms impact the marine ecosystem, such as effects on species interactions of seabirds and fish, biological effects on benthic fauna, and bottom-up impacts to marine productivity. ECOWind will provide evidence-based recommendations to improve relevant policies and support the effective management of the marine environment in and around offshore wind developments?

The BOWIE project is one of four projects under the ECOWind Programme focusing on the ecological consequences of offshore wind on the marine seafloor environment.?

It is a 4-year multi-institutional research project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Offshore Wind Evidence & Change Programme, The Crown Estate, Crown Estate Scotland, and supported by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).?

The project work is led by the University of Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖÆåÅÆ_Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖAPP-¹ÙÍø|ÏÂÔØ together with the University of Hull, the University of East Anglia, Cefas and the National Oceanography Centre.?

Why is This Research Important?

The UK Government has committed to reach net zero by 2050. Clean energy from offshore wind farms will play a critical role in achieving net zero and enhancing energy security. As it stands, operational OW generates 14.7 GW of energy. However, the Government has committed to 43-50 GW of installed OW capacity by 2030 (Clean Power 2030 Action Plan), which will cover over 5% of UK waters. Planned changes in policy, including adjustments to eligibility and consenting criteria for OW projects, will accelerate this growth.?

While OW farms play a role in reducing carbon emissions and enhancing energy security, their potential effects on marine biodiversity and seabed ecosystems are emerging and actively being explored. The seabed provides a multitude of benefits to society (ecosystem services), yet these are often overlooked despite their critical role in food provision, climate resilience and seafloor heritage.?

This research is important for understanding how the growing pressures associated with human activity (e.g. OW construction and life span, cumulative impact from other ocean users) and climate change will impact marine productivity, ecosystem stability, and food? security. If marine planning and management are not appropriately informed, the rapid expansion of OW will fundamentally alter biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services.?

Policy Outputs

Outputs of the project will enable robust decision making by examining the impact of OW expansion on seabed invertebrate and fish species, taking into consideration other pressures on the marine environment including: construction noise and vibration, electromagnetic fields and elevated temperatures associated with cabling. Evidence for direct impacts on the benthic fauna will advise and inform the proper measures and policies needed to achieve net gain and reduce biodiversity loss in these ecosystems.?

What Will We Do?

BOWIE will deliver outputs to inform robust approaches to marine environmental recovery, biodiversity and net environmental gain targets. Through working closely with key industry and government stakeholders the project will facilitate informed decision making relating to the expansion of OW farms. It will also provide a detailed understanding of seabed habitats and species and their interactions with the wider marine ecosystem and quantify the impacts of offshore wind development and other anthropogenic activity on seabed habitats and species within the context of climate change.?

The project team will be using this new knowledge to develop a novel integrated decision support system to inform policymakers and facilitate those tasked with achieving environmental net gain and net zero targets.?

Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖÆåÅÆ_Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖAPP-¹ÙÍø|ÏÂÔØ work will be focused around four key modules:?

Module 1: Understanding the spatio-temporal interactions of offshore wind on biodiversity and ecosystems across project life cycles.?

Module 2: Impacts of OW development and operation on species physiology, behaviour and ecosystem functioning within the context of environmental change?

Module 3: Generalised species responses to the cumulative pressures of large-scale deployment of OW, other anthropogenic activities and anticipated futures?

Module 4: Develop an integrated natural capital framework application within a decision support system to inform policy and management scenarios.?

The BOWIE Team

Principal Investigator: Professor Martin Solan (University of Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖÆåÅÆ_Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖAPP-¹ÙÍø|ÏÂÔØ)?

Module 1 leads: Professor Susan Gourvenec, Professor Blair Thornton (University of Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖÆåÅÆ_Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖAPP-¹ÙÍø|ÏÂÔØ)?

Module 2 leads: Professor Jasmin Godbold (University of Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖÆåÅÆ_Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖAPP-¹ÙÍø|ÏÂÔØ), Professor Krysia Mazik (University of Hull)?

Module 3 leads: Dr Clement Garcia (Cefas), Dr James Strong (National Oceanography Centre)?

Module 4 leads: Professor Martin Solan and Professor Susan Gourvenec (University of Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖÆåÅÆ_Ìì·¢ÓéÀÖAPP-¹ÙÍø|ÏÂÔØ), Dr Clement Garcia (Cefas), Dr James Strong (National Oceanography Centre), Professor Kerry Turner (University of East Anglia)?

Policy Officer: Nadiya Catel-Arutyunova?

Policy Associate: Rebecca Bridge?

Recent Policy Outputs

Under the Microscope Inquiry to the Science, Innovation and Technology Council

Response to the Marine Recovery Fund Consultation (Link will be provided soon!)

Project Updates

Please visit the BOWIE Project website for latest information: https://ecowind.uk/projects/bowie/?