Periodic Reporting for period 2 - UNITED (Multi-Use offshore platforms demoNstrators for boostIng cost-effecTive and Eco-friendly proDuction in sustainable marine activities)
Reporting period: 2021-07-01 to 2022-06-30
UNITED stands for "Multi-Use Platforms and Co-location Pilots Boosting Cost effective, and Eco-friendly and Sustainable Production in Marine Environments. The project is implementing the multi-use concept in 5 pilots across the 3 EU Sea Basins to test the viability of the multi-use concept (Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Greece). The project has already provided diverse solution on how the development of co-location of different activities in the same marine space could be a viable approach (economically, socially, and environmentally). Namely, the 5 UNITED pilots have reached the operational stage and three of them are located in challenging offshore environments (Netherlands, Belgium, Germany). The review of the pilots’ TRL, legal aspects, technical solutions and risks was completed in August 2020, and the pilots are now working on the synchronization of multiple operation and maintenance systems, as well as improvements in current design, safety and infrastructure set-ups for multi-use extensions. For each of the pilots, the economic assessment is compiled as well as the business analysis. The pilots are further investigating profitability, risk and economic sustainability of multi-use developments. This work will feed into the Ocean Multi-Use Commercialisation Roadmap due by June 2023. For each of the pilots, the inventory of legal and insurance aspects, risks and risk management options has been produced and the work is now ongoing to validate these with a wider set of stakeholders in each of the localities. Efforts are also ongoing in each of the pilot locations to raise awareness about ocean multi-use, to inform the public about the current state of the project and create a platform where information is exchanged to take into account the public concerns and considerations, monitor the societal perception, and create ownership. The project has had several events which include open access training workshops to improve professional skills and competencies for everybody who is interested. While initial environmental scoping has already been completed, the UNITED pilots are now implementing the environmental assessment framework to assess the impacts of future similar up-scaled commercially viable pilots in each of the localities.
UNITED pilots – key achievements to date
German pilot
The German pilot is the first offshore multi-use cultivation pilot in Germany for algae and mussels in the vicinity of three wind farms. So, granting of the first aquaculture-offshore-multi-use permission was a great success reached in August 2021. Local algae strains were obtained and transferred to an algae hatchery for stock production. Already in September the mussel and seaweed systems were assembled, the lander for monitoring positive and negative impacts was completed and tested onshore. The mussel system was installed in time for the spat fall in April 2022, followed by the deployment of the mooring of the seaweed system. The lander was put in place in May 2022. First data is already uploaded into HiSea.
Dutch pilot
Preparation for the 2nd seaweed cultivation started in October 2021. Improved load sensors, cameras and GPS sensors with real-time capability were developed. A commercial seeding machine was used to apply algae to the nets. These nets were pre-cultivated in the harbour and deployed offshore in March 2022. In June 2022 algae were harvested with a special adapted machine. Until June 2022, a total of 32 interconnected solar platforms were installed. This represents 15% of the intended amount.
Belgian pilot
After two years of testing of flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) and seaweed (Saccharina latissima) production systems nearshore, two longlines have finally been installed at the Belgian offshore wind farm of Belwind. The aquaculture lines are anchored with to screw anchors. These lines have been designed to withstand powerful offshore waves, often encountered in the North Sea. The oyster line was installed at nine meters below the water surface, providing a more hospitable environment with lower wave impact. Different productions systems are connected to the backbone, including oyster baskets in frames, oyster cages and dropper lines with glued oysters. To allow enough light penetration for the seaweed to grow, whilst also avoiding the highest impact of the waves at the surface, the seaweed line was installed at three meters below the water surface.
Danish pilot
New safety procedures and manuals for guides and operators for conducting the tour were established. Virtual visits to the windfarm are now possible using newly created video material. These tours can be accessed by QR-codes placed on five high-rise buildings in Copenhagen. COVID19 restrictions prevented tourism. Tourist activities started again since 2020 and numbers are as high as before the pandemic. Due to a new windmill entry system even more boat operators are advertising the “climb the windmill” tour now.
Greek pilot
Similar to the Danish pilot, touristic activities dropped during COVID19 but now the visitor frequency reached 40% of the pre-pandemic numbers and is still rising. The underwater landscape was mapped and infrastructure and anchorages were monitored using a ROV. Optimal diving paths were created to cater for divers of different experience levels. The monitoring system installation and improvements allow now for water quality analytics, better detection of diseases, optimization of feeding times and prevention of stress in fish through sensors and cameras. Decision support system produces early warnings on optimal feeding and harvesting, disease prevention and mitigation. Scheduling of diving tours and fish farm maintenance is now better coordinated.
German pilot
The German pilot is the first offshore multi-use cultivation pilot in Germany for algae and mussels in the vicinity of three wind farms. So, granting of the first aquaculture-offshore-multi-use permission was a great success reached in August 2021. Local algae strains were obtained and transferred to an algae hatchery for stock production. Already in September the mussel and seaweed systems were assembled, the lander for monitoring positive and negative impacts was completed and tested onshore. The mussel system was installed in time for the spat fall in April 2022, followed by the deployment of the mooring of the seaweed system. The lander was put in place in May 2022. First data is already uploaded into HiSea.
Dutch pilot
Preparation for the 2nd seaweed cultivation started in October 2021. Improved load sensors, cameras and GPS sensors with real-time capability were developed. A commercial seeding machine was used to apply algae to the nets. These nets were pre-cultivated in the harbour and deployed offshore in March 2022. In June 2022 algae were harvested with a special adapted machine. Until June 2022, a total of 32 interconnected solar platforms were installed. This represents 15% of the intended amount.
Belgian pilot
After two years of testing of flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) and seaweed (Saccharina latissima) production systems nearshore, two longlines have finally been installed at the Belgian offshore wind farm of Belwind. The aquaculture lines are anchored with to screw anchors. These lines have been designed to withstand powerful offshore waves, often encountered in the North Sea. The oyster line was installed at nine meters below the water surface, providing a more hospitable environment with lower wave impact. Different productions systems are connected to the backbone, including oyster baskets in frames, oyster cages and dropper lines with glued oysters. To allow enough light penetration for the seaweed to grow, whilst also avoiding the highest impact of the waves at the surface, the seaweed line was installed at three meters below the water surface.
Danish pilot
New safety procedures and manuals for guides and operators for conducting the tour were established. Virtual visits to the windfarm are now possible using newly created video material. These tours can be accessed by QR-codes placed on five high-rise buildings in Copenhagen. COVID19 restrictions prevented tourism. Tourist activities started again since 2020 and numbers are as high as before the pandemic. Due to a new windmill entry system even more boat operators are advertising the “climb the windmill” tour now.
Greek pilot
Similar to the Danish pilot, touristic activities dropped during COVID19 but now the visitor frequency reached 40% of the pre-pandemic numbers and is still rising. The underwater landscape was mapped and infrastructure and anchorages were monitored using a ROV. Optimal diving paths were created to cater for divers of different experience levels. The monitoring system installation and improvements allow now for water quality analytics, better detection of diseases, optimization of feeding times and prevention of stress in fish through sensors and cameras. Decision support system produces early warnings on optimal feeding and harvesting, disease prevention and mitigation. Scheduling of diving tours and fish farm maintenance is now better coordinated.
It is the ambition of the UNITED project to operate and deploy facilities, technologies, tools and methods that will minimize risks and maximize the environmental including restoration, socio-economic, and social benefits related to multi-use infrastructure, resources and ocean space. Outputs and generated knowledge from UNITED will represent a major step forward in upscaling and widespread implementation of MUCLs. UNITED will contribute to the overall competitiveness of European businesses, adding multiple operational multi-use sites to the portfolio of EU based industrial actors and SMEs while including in the roadmap steps for upscaling and wider implementation to a wide range of stakeholders. Bringing cutting-edge technology at an operational stage in Europe will open up possibilities to export these technologies, monitoring systems, and operational levels while providing first-mover advantages to the EU with long lasting effects. Technology and knowledge transfers will also contribute to the operational and process-related enhancements in other sectors of the EU economy and blue-growth actions, with impacts that can extend to the structural nature and the technological profile of production process in the EU. An additional ambition regards the contribution towards food security, sustainable spatial planning, energy and environmental integrity. Enabling the multi-use concept to gain its momentum in the real-life environment will add to the EU efforts and goals towards the sustainable and efficient management of space and resources at reach, with the effects extending well beyond the life time of the project