Marine Information and Data Centre

Follow-up Implementation of the Offshore Wind Energy Master Plan (VUM)

Energy is a basic necessity of our society. The growth of sustainable energy sources, such as wind energy, is essential for meeting current and long-term demand for energy. The draft 2016 – 2021 North Sea Policy Document states that 4,450 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind power must be operational by 2023. This equates to an additional 3,450 MW on top of the existing wind farms and those under construction.

There still are uncertainties about the effects of offshore wind farms on the North Sea ecosystem. European regulations dictate that, if the relationships between the intervention and the effects are largely unknown, a safe margin must be assumed as a precautionary measure. The lack of information about the ecological effects similarly affects the cost-effective achievement of the offshore wind energy targets. For the reasons outlined above, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment decided to commission a study on important questions concerning the construction and operation of wind farms.

The shortlisted study on the Ecological Monitoring of Offshore Wind Farms was carried out in 2011, after which the VUM study was initiated.

The findings of the VUM sub-studies were processed and used in the decision-making process for offshore wind farms, such as the Ecology and Cumulation Framework and the site decisions on new wind farms.

The VUM study included the ten sub-studies given below:

  1. Noise model for offshore pile driving;
    Report: Nijhof M.J.J., Binnerts B., Ainslie M.A., de Jong C.A.F. (2015) Integration source model and propagation model, TNO Report, TNO 2015 R10186;
  2. Assessment instrument for the cumulative effects of underwater noise (SORIANT);
    Report: von Benda-Beckmann A.M., de Jong C.A.F., Binnerts B., de Krom P., Ainslie M.A., Nijhof M., te Raa L. (2015) SORIANT VUM - final report. TNO Report, TNO 2015 R10791 (PDF, 1.1MB) (pdf, 1.1 MB);
  3. Effects of noise caused by offshore pile-driving on the hearing of common seals;
    Report: SEAMARCO (2013) Hearing thresholds of two harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) for playbacks of multiple pile driving strike sound, Report no. 2013-02 (pdf, 253 kB);
    Report: SEAMARCO (2015) Effect of pile driving sounds’ exposure duration on temporary hearing threshold shift in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), Report no. 2015-03 (Draft report);
  4. Effect of noise caused by pile-driving on the survival of fish larvae;
    Report: Bolle L.J., de Jong C.A.F., Blom E., Wessels P.W., van Damme C.J.G, Winter H.V. (2014) Effect of pile-driving sounds on the survival of fish larvae. IMARES, Report no. C182/14 (pdf, 940 kB);
  5. Effects of noise caused by offshore pile-driving on the hearing and behaviour of porpoises;
    Report: SEAMARCO (2013) Hearing thresholds of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) for playbacks of multiple pile driving strike sounds, Report no. 2013-01 (pdf, 739 kB);
    Report: SEAMARCO (2013) Behavioral responses of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) to playbacks of broadband pile driving sounds, Report no. 2013-04;
    Report: SEAMARCO (2014) Hearing frequencies of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) temporarily affected by played back offshore pile driving sounds, Report no. 2014-05 (pdf, 511 kB);
    Report: SEAMARCO (2015) Effect of pile driving sounds’ exposure duration on temporary hearing threshold shift in harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), Report no. 2015-09 (pdf, 811 kB);
    Report: SEAMARCO (2015) Hearing thresholds of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) for narrow-band sweeps (0.125-150 kHz), Report no. 2015-02 (pdf, 253 kB);
  6. Swimming speeds of sea mammals in the North Sea;
    Report: Aarts G.M., Brasseur S.M.J.M., Winter H.V., Kirkwood R.J. (2015) Persistent maximum swim speed of harbour porpoise, harbour seal and grey seal;
    Report: SEAMARCO (2015) Swimming speed of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in a pool during playbacks of pile driving sounds, Report no. 2015-08;
  7. Modelling the number of birds that collide with offshore wind turbines;
    Report: Kleyheeg-Hartman J.C. (2014). An overview and comparison of theoretical and empirical collision rate models. Memorandum from Bureau Waardenburg, Culemborg;
     Report: Kleyheeg-Hartman J.C., Krijgsveld K.L., Collier M.P, Poot M.J.M., Boon A., Troost T.A., Dirksen S. (2014) Predicting collisions of birds with wind turbines offshore and on land: an overview and comparison of theoretical and empirical collision rate models. Article in preparation, Bureau Waardenburg, Culemborg;
    Report: Krijgsveld K.L. (2014). Avoidance behaviour of birds around offshore wind farms. Overview of knowledge including effects of configuration. Report 13-268, Bureau Waardenburg, Culemborg. (PDF 2.2 MB) (pdf, 2.2 MB);
  8. Bat migration across the sea;
    Report Lagerveld S, Jonge Poerink B., de Vries P. (2015) Bat activity at the Dutch continental shelf in 2014, IMARES Wageningen UR, Den Helder, Report no C094/15 (PDF, 3.7 MB) (pdf, 3.7 MB);
     Report: Lagerveld, S, Aarts, G, Jonge Poerink B, Winter E. (in prep.) Offshore bat activity at the Dutch Continental Shelf in relation to coastal and offshore weather;
  9. Effect of wind farms on seabirds;
    Report: Leopold M.F., van Bemmelen R.S.A., Zuur A.F. (2013) Responses of local birds to the offshore wind farms PAWP and OWEZ (Het Offshore Windpark Egmond aan Zee) off the Dutch mainland coast. IMARES Report no. C151/12;
  10. Workshop on International harmonisation and collaboration;
    Report: Lucke K,Winter E, Lam F.P, Scowcroft G, Hawkins A, Popper A.N, Report of the Workshop on International Harmonisation of Approaches to Define Underwater Noise Exposure Criteria. IMARES, Report no. C197.13 (pdf, 669 kB);