Mapping NID Solutions: An Exploration of the Rich North Sea Toolbox

Introduction

A properly planned roll-out of offshore wind and supporting grid infrastructure can provide opportunities to sustain the protection and restoration of nature in European seas. One way to achieve this is by integrating innovative solutions such as Nature Inclusive Design (NID) alongside offshore renewable energy infrastructure. NIDs are measures integrated in or added to the design of infrastructure which attempt to minimise risks and increase ecological opportunities by providing direct and indirect positive effects on biodiversity.

With this in mind, in 2022 the Offshore Coalition for Energy and Nature (OCEaN) and the Renewables Grid Initiative launched a webinar series on Nature Inclusive Design applied in offshore energy and grid infrastructure.

Our fourth webinar ‘Mapping NID Solutions’ dove into the Rich North Sea’s recently launched Toolbox, which allows users to explore nature enhancement projects in offshore wind farms. The webinar featured speakers from the Rich North Sea (a collaborative programme between the North Sea Foundation and Natuur & Milieu) and ECOncrete, who have a project featured on the Toolbox. Speakers provided an overview of their unique experience developing and using to the Toolbox and then opened the floor to take questions and comments from participants.

Our speakers included Eline van Onselen, Marine ecologist at the Rich North Sea, who presented how the Toolbox came to be, why we need it at this point in time, and how you can use it. She then explained the process used to build the Toolbox and how anyone can feature their own nature enhancement project on the website. Phil Leblanc presented ECOncrete’s projects featured in the Toolbox, including their cable protection project in the Canary Islands using ECOncrete’s Trench Blocks.

Our speakers were:

Phil Leblanc, Business Development Director, ECOncrete

Eline van Onselen, Marine ecologist at the Rich North Sea