The environmental risks of offshore wind farms in the Empordà

Faced with the threat of climate change, we urgently need to deploy renewable energy sources and reduce consumption. Among the different renewable energy sources is offshore wind power, which has experienced a boom in the North and Baltic Seas. However, we cannot directly import the northern sea models to the Mediterranean as it has a thinner and more heterogeneous continental shelf and a higher proportion of threatened species and habitats than Europe’s northern seas.

Although the benefits of offshore wind farms in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions are quantifiable and potentially beneficial in fighting against climate change, the risks of implementing these offshore wind farms in the Mediterranean, which is ecologically fragile, diverse, and subject to multiple human pressures, have not been well evaluated. If we take the precautionary principle into account, we cannot ignore them.

The scientific study that we have recently conducted (and which is advancing with the BIOPAIS project funded by the Biodiversity Foundation <http://www.oceanshealth.udg.edu/ca/biopais.html>) warns of the serious impacts that these structures can have on marine biodiversity, the landscape, fishing, and tourism.

The “floating” wind turbine structures being considered for the Cap de Creus and the Gulf of Roses are complex. Underwater, they require large mooring and anchoring systems that can affect the integrity of the seabed, home to different habitats protected by European regulations. In addition, marine mammals can hit or become entangled in the cables. These floating platforms are also a source of attraction for invasive species or opportunistic species that can alter the fragile balance of local biodiversity. In addition, sounds, vibrations, and the electromagnetic fields from the cables can affect different protected marine species.

Floating wind turbines, often more than 250 meters high, can modify the local dynamics of atmospheric and oceanic currents and decrease the availability of nutrients for plankton, impacting their production in the Mediterranean which is typically nutrient poor. We must also consider the risks of accidents associated with extreme weather phenomena, which are increasingly common with climate change, and the risks inherent to wind turbines, such as the structure falling into the sea and ship collisions.

The environmental impacts of offshore wind farms can be especially severe in highly biodiverse, fragile ecosystems such as the Cap de Creus and the Gulf of Roses. Up to eight protected marine areas are involved, recognized both in Spain and internationally (most are Natura 2000 areas recognized by the European Commission), in addition to two fishing preserves established by the government to recover fishing stocks and habitats.

Finally, we must consider the potential impacts of offshore wind farms on the landscape, which is highly important to the Mediterranean considering the relevance of coastal and maritime tourism. Major projects imply industrializing the coast.

Therefore, we must rationalize the race for offshore wind farm proposals while applying the precautionary principle. We need to consider an ecosystemic focus, meaning not only do we need to consider the diversity of species and habitats, but also the environmental functions of different species (breeding areas, feeding areas, spawning areas, and more) as well as the goods and services of the associated ecosystems. We must also conduct an independent diagnosis of what the companies are proposing concerning the environmental, economic, and social impacts (including cultural and landscape impacts) of these types of facilities. Finally, wind farms should preferably not be installed in protected marine areas or adjacent zones. //