Offshore wind is a big business. According to Westwood WindLogix, 67.4 GW of installed capacity at the end of 2023 is forecast to blossom to 414 GW by 2032, with mature markets such as China, the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands being joined by ambitious players including Norway, the US, and France.
The enthusiasm for fast-track development is understandable. With wind’s availability and tantalizing net-zero capabilities, it seemingly aligns perfectly with the need for society’s rapid energy transition. Still, Algrøy stressed caution is needed to ensure this new energy gold rush rolls out responsibly, particularly with regard to local ecosystems.
A Hydroacoustic Approach
“For a solution to be truly sustainable,” Algrøy stresses, “its impacts on the environment must be well understood. With energy companies looking to develop sites further offshore, in deeper waters, there is a new depth to the complexity to the protection of valuable ecosystems, both in the water column and on the seafloor.
“So, the question is, therefore, how can we first enhance our understanding of these finely-balanced marine ecosystems, and then, based on that understanding, mitigate against potential impacts that fully operational offshore turbines might present?”
It’s a conundrum that, he says, energy majors, operators, suppliers, regulators and other key industry stakeholders must find an answer to. Thankfully, Algrøy believes a solution may already be at hand.
“Hydroacoustics,” he notes, “is the most efficient way to monitor and quantify life underwater. Hydroacoustic sensors use sound to illuminate the depths, and that ability will be absolutely crucial for the responsible development of offshore wind as we target a low carbon future.”
A Scaled Challenge
When questioned about the cumulative impact of sustained offshore energy operations, Algrøy says the most obvious issues relate to scale.
“If you think about an oil and gas installation, for example,” he explains, “you have one or two structures and an exclusion (or safety) zone of 500 m around them. But in the case of windfarms, you may have tens or even hundreds of massive turbines spanning a huge area of the ocean. The Hollandse Kust Zuid project, which came online in 2023, demonstrates this, with 139 turbines spread over 225 km2.
“Often, areas suitable for offshore wind development coincide with areas important for fish spawning. So, you need detailed ecosystem insights.
“And that means more than simply a one-off assessment prior to the installation phase. It should be an ongoing monitoring exercise for informed decision-making and environmental protection. There’s evidence, for example, that some turbine infrastructure can act as ‘artificial reefs’ having a positive effect on biodiversity and actually increasing some fish stocks. However, at the same time, they can also enable the spread of invasive species.
“Therefore, we really need to acquire objective knowledge when planning the best way forward.”
A New Regulatory Reality
Unfortunately, the guidelines to govern that duty are yet to be defined. The relative immaturity of offshore wind is mirrored in the evolutionary state of the regulatory framework, which is both under development and confusing.
“There is no unified approach as yet,” he explains, as there might be within the maritime context, for example, with the IMO clearly mandating global requirements.
“So, in the UK they might be looking into one thing, in Norway another, a different focus in Belgium, and then the US takes its own approach. Studies prior to projects, usually conducted by marine research institutes or authorities, seem to be the norm, but there’s no standard concerning how the industry itself should conduct ongoing monitoring and protection of marine environments—but there absolutely has to be!”
With the growth of a new industry, on a platform of sustainability, in an atmosphere of environmental awareness, Algrøy opines it’d be “extremely naïve” to think requirements will not be stringent for operators.
“The regulations are coming,” he says, “All the key stakeholders in this burgeoning sector should prepare the ground for truly effective monitoring and ocean understanding.”
And that’s where hydroacoustics will be key.
Our Eyes Underwater
Kongsberg Discovery has a pedigree in advanced hydroacoustic solutions stretching back over 70 years. As part of the Norwegian-headquartered KONGSBERG group, the business focuses on innovative underwater robotics and sensor technology, helping customers unlock ocean understanding and enabling sustainable development.
“Hydroacoustics,” Algrøy states, is a cornerstone of marine ecosystem assessments, as exemplified by the EK80 echo sounder system, which “is globally recognized as the go-to instrument for quantifying life in water.”
The basic principle behind hydroacoustics is simple, even if the technology is not. Sound is transmitted underwater from an asset—which could be anything from a service vessel, to a drone or autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)—and echoes back to the transmission point. With technology capable of accurately ‘listening’ to these reflections, the secrets of the sea can be unlocked, with detailed high-resolution imaging.
“When the basic technology behind the EK80 was developed many decades ago, it was primarily for targeting commercial fishery. However, gradually, the focus has shifted to sustainable management of the fish stock and, more recently, ecosystem management. A long-term scientific design philosophy has enabled the EK instruments to become the international standard for marine ecosystem assessments.”
He continues: “Today, you can use the technology to identify and quantify anything from plankton to large sea creatures while also harnessing its scalable capabilities to map huge areas of the seafloor and understand local and ocean currents. Hydroacoustics can be utilized to identify and monitor anything on the seafloor, from cables to wrecks, while giving unique insights into everything within the water column. This technology brings the darkness of the depths to light, giving us ‘eyes underwater’ for informed, smarter decision making.”
It’s Time for Action
Algrøy believes that this growing industrial ocean segment will face different monitoring standards than established industries, like oil and gas, as authorities have the opportunity to craft completely new requirements based on the very latest ocean understanding and technology. Add that to the keen societal awareness in, and passion for, safeguarding the environment, and it’s a potent mix driving a more proactive approach.
“Apart from the aforementioned research institutes, we’re not seeing many other stakeholders waking up to, and investing in, the potential of technology for ecosystem analysis and long-term monitoring, or even showing awareness of the need for this yet,” Algrøy states. “The time to do that is now though—getting ahead not just of regulators, but of competitors, criticism, and, of course, damage to the environment.”
Hydroacoustics, and particularly scientifically proven solutions such as the EK80, can be the cornerstone of an informed, responsible, and compliant approach.
“A comprehensive understanding of the environmental impacts of windfarms is the key,” Algrøy concludes, “and it’s going to be too late if stakeholders don’t move to correct this ahead of further developments. The time for action is now, and hydroacoustics are here to illuminate a truly sustainable path forward.”
To find out more, visit: https://www.kongsberg.com/discovery/
eco magazine’s topside talks is an exclusive in-field look into the latest applications of applied marine science methods and technologies. To read more interviews, visit: https://ecomagazine.com/reporting/topside-talks/
