Environmental monitoring program at Offshore Wind farm Egmond aan Zee

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Environmental monitoring program at Offshore
Wind farm Egmond aan Zee

• SenterNovem Neeltje
  Muselaers The
  Netherlands
• NoordzeeWind Henk
  Kouwenhoven
  The Netherlands

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Contents

• The project
• Monitoring program
• Results on birds
• Results on marine mammals
• Results on public opinion
• Organizational setup
• Lessons learned
• Conclusions

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Main project data

• 36 Vestas 3 MW V90 wind turbines
• 1 meteo mast, 116 m high
• Hub height 70 m, rotor diameter 90 m
• Monopiles with scour protection
• Water depth 20 m
• 10 18 km off shore
• 3 x 34 kV cables to the shore
• 34/150 kV substation on shore
• Renewable electricity for /-100.000 house holds
• Design life 20 years
• In operation since 1/1/2007

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Monitoring program

• Impact of wind farm on marine environment

• Birds
• Sea mammals, fish and benthos
• Societal aspects
• Shipping and safety

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Results on birds

• Collision not measured
• Feasibility and scouting studies ongoing
• No effect of construction was seen
• Piling during season of low bird intensity
• 2 years monitoring (surveys and radar)
• 6 Boat surveys / year / smart timing
• Horizontal and vertical radar (24/7)
• No large effects on local birds
• Stepping stone for Great Cormorants
• Deflection of flight paths for most species
• Distance 200 m to 3200 m
• Research is ongoingduring 2009

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Results on marine mammals

• Harbour porpoise occurrence
• Base line 2003
• Operations phase 2007 - 2009
• Acoustic measurement
• 8 TPODs in and around OWEZ
• Significant more acoustic activity in OWEZ
  compared to ref. areas
• Increasedprey occurrence?

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Public opinion

• 4 Years of opinion surveys
• 2005 (before construction)
• 2006 (during construction)
• 2007 2008 (after construction)
• 4 Interest groups
• Resident coastal towns
• Business coastal towns
• Dutch holiday makers
• German holiday makers
• All within /- 20 km fromEgmond aan Zee
• Project is visible from the beach

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Final results on public opinion (2008)

• 75 in favor of off shore wind
• 25 thinks wind off shore is no problem for birds
  or sea currents
• 50 of the residents say visible wind farm
  effects experience of the sea and the beach
• German holiday makers lt 25 (2005 66)
• 30 feel view is disruptive
• German holiday makers 10
• 80 of residents and holiday makerswill visit
  the beach as often as before

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Organizational set up
Ministry of Economic affairs (EZ)
Ministry of Transport, Public works and Water
management (RWS)
SenterNovem and Waterdienst (mgt monitoring on
behalf of EZ)
Nuon
Reference group
NoordzeeWind
Shell
Imares et al (environment)
ECN et al (technology)
IntomartGfK (public opinion)
Environmental permit
Contract
Important relation
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Lessons learnt

• Environmental monitoring in Public Private
  Partnership is feasible
• Monitoring and commercial operation go together
• Take into account different dynamics of industry
  and government
• Define monitoring in terms of learning objectives
• Carefully consider required level of detail
• Leave room to adapt methods as result of
  advancing knowledge and development
• Standardization of research methods will support
  interpretation of results
• Create single line of responsibility and approach
  with governmental bodies that are involved

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Conclusions

• Monitoring so far executed successfully
• No LTIs
• A lot of data and reports available
• Indications of limited influence of operation of
  OWEZ on environment
• Bird collision monitoring still to be executed
• Public acceptance showed continuously increasing
  trend since 2005
• OWEZ monitoring does not answer all questions
• Outcomes generate new ones
• Cumulative effects
• Reports available on websites of NoordzeeWind and
  SenterNovem

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Questions?
Project Organisation MEP-NSW www.offshorewind.
nl

NoordzeeWind www.noordzeewind.nl
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