Ecological Consequences of Offshore Wind (ECOWind) research programme

The Ecological Consequences of Offshore Wind (ECOWind) research programme comprises of 4 grants: Ecological Implications of Accelerated Seabed Mobility around Windfarms (NE/X008886/1: ECOWind-ACCELERATE), Physics-to-Ecosystem Level Assessment of Impacts of Offshore Windfarms (NE/X008835/1: PELAgIO), Benthic-Offshore Wind Interactions (NE/X008991/1: BOWIE) and Ecosystem Change, Offshore Wind, Net Gain and Seabirds (NE/X009068/1: ECOWINGS). These projects are expected to run until 2027, interacting with eachother to collect multidisciplinary data that investigates the physical, biogeochemical and ecosystem impact windfarms have around the UK, using multi-scale observational data, laboratory experiments and model outputs. The data collected spans from flume data, wave model outputs and glider measurements through to the response of seabirds. The programme was funded by NERC and aims to provide new evidence in support of marine policy and the sustainable management of offshore wind development.