Introducing offshore wind energy in the sea space: Canary Islands case study developed under Maritime Spatial Planning principles

A Abramic,A García Mendoza,R Haroun

doi:10.1016/j.rser.2021.111119

A Abramic, A García Mendoza + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111119

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Abstract

In this study, we define a novel methodological approach for introducing Offshore Wind Energy (OWE) facilities into sea space, determining the most suitable locations with regard to the five clusters: oceanographic potential; environmental sensibility; restrictions related to marine conservation; Land–Sea interactions; and avoiding potential conflict with current maritime and coastal activities.The methodology was tested along 1.583 km of the Canary Islands coastline and across more than 50 000 km2 of related offshore areas. We have identified marine areas that have significant wind&depth potential, minimal impact on the marine environment, compatibility with marine conservation and conflict avoidance with operative economic maritime and coastal sectors (such as coastal tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, etc.). Suitability maps were developed with Decision Support System INDIMAR, a novel tool that analyses the OWE facilities’ relationship with each cluster parameter, introducing weights calculated by an Analytical Hierarchy Process.OWE development needs to find a balance of all five clusters reflecting on Ecosystem-Based Management components that should be mirrored in the Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) strategy, including options with tradeoffs among sectorial growth, conflict prevention and environmental protection & conservation.

Highlights

Offshore Wind Energy (OWE) production in North Europe kicked off in the early 2000s, and the new installations coming up demanded new marine spatial areas
To make data collection more efficient, avoiding redundant data sets and making information manageable, within the PLASMAR project the required data sets were organized within five clusters: Data on marine environment structured following Good Environmental Sta tus (GES) of Marine strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC (MSFD); Spatial data and information on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); Coastal Land use; Oceanography data; information collected on Current Mari time Activities
To analyze OWE suitability, it is necessary to collect essential spatial information following the five clusters framework, including data on oceanographic potential; environmental sensibility; restrictions related to marine conservation; coastal areas Land use; and information on operational maritime sectors

Summary

Introduction

Offshore Wind Energy (OWE) production in North Europe kicked off in the early 2000s, and the new installations coming up demanded new marine spatial areas. The pilot MSP projects were initiated in the Baltic and the North Sea, followed by numerous European initiatives in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean and Black Seas that should support European Member States (MS) to deliver the first milestone of the MSP process, a spatial plan to allocate maritime sectors and activities. In this sense, a spatial plan of the marine space, linking sustainable maritime use and preservation of the marine envi ronment, is required by the Directive 2014/89/EU and needs to be delivered in 2021 by MS for all European Seas

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