WWF Grenå Danmark (ongoing)

RAISE AWARENESS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING!

Ørsted is a Danish energy company with a focus on low carbon energy, including offshore energies, in particular offshore wind power.

Since 2013, it has been operating the Anholt wind farm off Grenå coast, which consist of 111 turbines.

In order to highlight the ecological connectivity between an offshore wind farm, artificial reefs, and Grenå harbor, and to raise public awareness of marine biodiversity issues, WWF Denmark marine biodiversity, WWF Denmark, and the oceanographic museum of Grenå « Kattegat Centeret » have partnered with Ørsted to install artificial reefs at the edge of the wind farm, as well as Biohut habitats within Grenå harbor itself.

Within this project framework, 10 Biohut habitats have been installed, 5 ‘dock’ unites and 5 ‘pontoon’ unites, in March 2021. The number of units is reduced and the impact on both the harbor and the wind farm scale is therefore attenuated. However, they easily allow the monitoring of the biodiversity that is being established in the harbor and raise users’ awareness. This way, WWF aims to create a positive link between the inhabitants, the energy consumers, and the marine environment, based on consideration of the ecosystems where the production structures are installed.

The scientific monitoring are carried out occasionally by Kattegat Centeret scientists and divers. They have been assessing the biodiversity inhabiting the harbor for several years now.

In the long run, in addition to the benefits related to the biodiversity consideration and local species, the project will contribute to a better understanding of the possible role played by artificial infrastructures, such as harbors and areas near wind farms, for the biodiversity in Kattegat, Denmark.