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Innovations

Offshore innovations are necessary to combine all functions in the North Sea in a smart, safe and sustainable manner. The North Sea is contributing increasingly to the food, climate and energy transition. The sustainable spatial planning of the North Sea is a complex task that is coordinated by the national government.

Some functions must remain separate for safety reasons, while others can be combined within the same square kilometre. We call this multiple use or multi-use.

Multiple use refers to the smart combination of different activities and functions at a specific location, with the aim of maximising benefits and minimising conflicts and negative effects.

In the case of Campus@Sea, multi-use focuses on integrating various activities in the North Sea, such as renewable energy generation, food production, nature conservation and development, safety & security and water sports, in order to promote sustainable and efficient use of the sea.

Multi-use combines the advantages of different activities, reducing conflicts and promoting economic, ecological and social sustainability.

  • Efficient use of space: The North Sea is a valuable space that must be used optimally, given the growing need for energy, food and other resources.
  • Conflict reduction: By cleverly combining different activities, conflicts between, for example, fishing, shipping and offshore energy installations can be reduced.
  • Promotion of sustainability: Multi-use can contribute to reducing negative environmental impact through combined space utilisation and synergy between different activities.
  • Stimulating economic development: By bringing together various sectors, multiple use can create new economic opportunities and promote innovation.

In short, multiple use is essential to meet the growing demand for natural resources while ensuring ecological sustainability in the increasingly busy North Sea and other seas.

Examples of multiple uses

  • Floating solar panels in wind farms
  • Sailing in wind farms
  • Fishing in wind farms
  • Seaweed and oyster cultivation in wind farms
  • Artificial reefs in wind farms