Monitoring and researching ecological effects of Dutch offshore wind farms: Masterplan

The cabinet plans to realise a total of 6000 MW of wind energy on the Dutch Continental Shelf (DCS) by 2020 (2009 National Water Plan draft, 2009-2019 North Sea Policy Memo). Permits for twelve wind farms were issued in 2009. An interdepartmental workgroup is presently working on an approach that should result in realisation of the remaining approx. 5000 MW starting in 2011. Deltares was asked to work out the contents of a master plan for an umbrella monitoring and research programme required to fill in the gaps in information in determining the ecological effect of OWFs. (offshore wind farms)