Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in the academic community. We look forward to seeing you there!
PO058: Nature-inclusive design solutions for offshore wind infrastructure
Yaeli Rosenberg, Head of Biology, Econcrete
Abstract
Increasingly, offshore wind farms require the integration of nature-inclusive design (NID) solutions to mitigate and manage the ecological impact of offshore infrastructures, and to create opportunities to support, enhance, and restore marine biodiversity. Recent tenders have included specific ecological requirements for the design of nature-inclusive scour and cable protection. In response, offshore developers and contractors are seeking new materials and innovative technologies to design alternative solutions to current industry standards. Artificial hard substrates associated with offshore wind infrastructure, such as scour protection, offer a newly constructed habitat and, if designed correctly, can provide an opportunity for biodiversity enhancements at scale. Structures can be designed with environmentally sensitive materials and additional complexity to support increased settlement, refuge, and feeding opportunities for a wide range of marine organisms. Leveraging needed infrastructure to promote and enhance biodiversity at scale represents a shift in design paradigm, compared to more localized measures such as add-ons that are often not a core part of the offshore infrastructures. This shift is driving NID innovation with the goal to increase the ecological value of offshore wind farm infrastructures and upscale desired ecological effects. In this context, we will present results from the development and validation of a novel ecological and interlocking scour protection solution. Details of the design will be discussed, to highlight the opportunities to improve ecological uplift, achieve the required hydraulic stability, and reduce the amount of materials required for scour protection, compared to traditional rock - while using standard installation procedures. The protocol and biological monitoring results from a pilot installation will be presented, along with results from physical model testing.
