Wind SEED JIP
The WindSEED Joint Industry Project: Working together to deliver Offshore Wind Solutions for Ecosystem Enhancement through Design
The Need for Nature Recovery and Regeneration
The need to address both climate change and biodiversity loss is increasingly influencing regulatory frameworks and offshore wind project standards.
To meet this challenge, in November 2024 founding members Wood Thilsted, Arup, COWI and NIRAS initiated the Nature Inclusive Offshore Wind Farm JIP to advance nature inclusivity in offshore wind farm design.
Today, the founding members have been joined by Parkwind as we accelerate this essential workstream as the Wind SEED JIP – working together to advance offshore wind Solutions for Ecosystem Enhancement through Design.
The Wind SEED JIP
▶ In November 2024, Wood Thilsted, Arup, COWI and NIRAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a Joint Industry Project (JIP) focused on advancing Nature Inclusivity in offshore wind farm design.
▶ Parkwind has since joined as a Steering Group Member.
▶ This collaborative effort aims to explore and redefine what it means to create offshore wind farms that positively impact natural ecosystems throughout their lifecycle.
▶ The need to address both climate change and biodiversity loss is increasingly influencing regulatory frameworks and project standards.
▶ By integrating innovative environmental design and operational practices, the project seeks to make positive contributions to biodiversity, supporting marine and coastal ecosystems throughout a project’s lifespan.
▶ The JIP has since been renamed WindSEED: Working together to deliver Offshore Wind Solutions for Ecosystem Enhancement through Design.
Aims of the Joint Industry Project
▶ We aim to make offshore wind an environmental pioneer in the infrastructure space.
▶ By sharing our knowledge, we hope to accelerate nature recovery efforts across the industry.
▶ Aims to disseminate best practice and new thinking, as fast as possible.
▶ Where something has been tried, tested or trialled and the data shows that it has not worked as expected, this is as important to disseminate as the successes.
▶ The principle of negative impact minimisation is insufficient to deliver nature recovery, and this JIP seeks to move thinking and innovation on this topic into the realm of positive impact for nature.
▶ Commercial or competitive advantage is not an objective of this JIP.
▶ Multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder input is a key objective of the JIP.
JIP Work Packages
High-level information on the initial work packages set by the steering committee at launch are as follows.
The estimated scope duration from WP0 – WP3 is 2 years.
Launch – Q4 2024:
▶ Launch comms and steering committee, agree governance model and conduct stakeholder gap analysis.
▶ Close gaps with interested parties.
Work Package 0:
▶ Project set-up, assign working groups.
▶ Agree evaluation framework for nature inclusive solutions / determine metadata for collection.
Work Package 1:
▶ To understand current ideas, practices and opportunities for Nature Inclusive design and operations relevant to offshore wind, worldwide, and identify gaps (physical or operational areas where few solutions are available).
▶ Data collection and desk-based research of existing nature inclusive studies and initiatives.
Work Package 2:
▶ To collate and disseminate information about nature inclusive design for OWF to a wide audience.
▶ Create a searchable database from WP1 findings. Organise nature inclusive solutions into logical structure.
▶ Assess individual solutions and identify knowledge gaps.
Work Package 3:
▶ Generate ideas and practices for offshore wind with the aim of achieving overall net-gain.
▶ Develop specification for reviewing, testing, trialling or analysing the idea as appropriate, during Phase 4.
▶ Prepare proposals for new targeted tests/modelling in WP4.
Work Package 4:
▶ Review/test/trial/analyse ideas as appropriate, gather performance data, and publish the results.
▶ Testing / modelling of targeted nature inclusive solution(s).
▶ Dissemination of knowledge to wider market.
Note: the work packages are subject to change at the discretion of the steering committee.
“It’s no longer enough to merely minimise harm; we must move towards creating measurable, positive impacts on biodiversity and natural systems. This project is a crucial step toward integrating regenerative principles into offshore wind farm design.”
— Danny Bonnett, Wood Thilsted’s Director of Sustainability and Chair of the JIP