Resilient ecosystems development on Princess Elisabeth Island

The project aims to turn the foundation of Princess Elisabeth Island, the world’s first artificial energy island, into a giant artificial reef. Ocean Ecostructures will install 450 of their Life Boosting Units (LBUs) by 2026, which aim to promote ecosystem formation and boost marine biodiversity with innovative technology and monitoring systems. The number of LBUs could grow to 2.000 in a second phase.

Highlights

• Life Boosting Units (LBUs) can enhance marine biodiversity by up to 500% compared to 20% reported by more traditional methods.
• Suitable for all marine infrastructure types, LBUs are scalable, low maintenance, long-lasting, and can withstand extreme North Sea conditions.
• An available monitoring system tracks biodiversity, biomass, and CO2 sequestration, providing detailed insights for sustainability reporting.

About this Practice

Marine biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate while new and existing users of the sea are aiming to become more sustainable and offset their impacts on ecosystems. Ocean Ecostructures is addressing these challenges with their unique Life Boosting Units (LBUs), which replicate natural reefs and enable ecosystem development around offshore infrastructure. The Princess Elisabeth Island project, the world’s first artificial energy island, plans to install 450 LBUs by 2026 and support the formation of a thriving marine ecosystem around the island. The number of LBUs could grow to 2.000 in a second phase. 

The goal is to contribute to offsetting the environmental impact caused by the island’s construction while enhancing biodiversity. The practice replicates natural reefs by combining three key elements: a microfauna attraction system, a natural calcium carbonate substrate to encourage reef growth, and a multilayer design providing shelter for marine species. Based on results of previously installed units, LBUs can boost biodiversity by up to 500% compared to 20% reported by competing blue concrete solutions.

To measure impacts, a robust monitoring system utilising underwater drones and sensors is offered to track key environmental parameters such as biomass production, CO2 sequestration, and species diversity. All data is processed and reported via a cross-platform service, providing stakeholders with transparent insights. Over the next decade, the LBUs are anticipated to generate over 250 tonnes of biomass and sequester 50 tonnes of CO2. This practice is therefore striving to be a model for sustainable marine infrastructure development and could set a precedent for similar projects globally. 

Future scalability is a core feature, as LBUs can be adapted to a diverse range of marine infrastructure, including ports, offshore wind farms, and cabling. Ocean Ecostructures is aiming to redefine offshore infrastructure development by turning formerly grey, concrete spaces into thriving and resilient ecosystems.