Vattenfall has joined forces with Dutch nature conservation organization De Rijke Noordzee on a study to find out how the nature inclusive design of turbine foundations can support marine life.
Water replenishment holes in the wind turbine foundations offer an opportunity for fish and other marine species to enter and leave again. The joint study of Vattenfall and De Rijke Noordzee is the first time that research is conducted into what the water replenishment holes could mean for marine life. The study is aimed at finding out to what extent the inside of the turbine foundations can be used by marine life to settle, shelter and as a feeding ground. The study is conducted at the Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm, located 18 to 34 kilometers off the Dutch coast, between the city of The Hague and Zandvoort.
The elliptical openings measure approximately 30 centimeters by 1 meter and are located above the seabed and just below the water surface. Over the next couple of years data will be collected on several occasions to check the development of biodiversity. Last winter, scientists from De Rijke Noordzee carried out their first series of measurements. Findings will be included in a toolbox called “Nature development in wind parks” that De Rijke Noordzee will develop. Its open-source character makes it easy and cost-efficient to reuse in new projects.
