Renewables-to-reefs? – Decommissioning options for the offshore wind power industry

Smyth, Katie; Christie, Nikki; Burdon, Daryl; Atkins, Jonathan P.; Barnes, Richard; Elliott, Michael

Abstract

The offshore wind power industry is relatively new but increasing globally, hence it is important that the whole life-cycle is managed. The construction–operation–decommissioning cycle is likely to take 20– 30 years and whilst decommissioning may not be undertaken for many years, its management needs to be addressed in both current and future marine management regimes. This can be defined within a Drivers–Activities–Pressures State Changes–Impacts (on human Welfare)–Responses framework. This paper considers the main decommissioning options – partial or complete removal of all components. A SWOT analysis shows environmental and economic benefits in partial as opposed to complete removal, especially if habitat created on the structures has conservation or commercial value. Benefits (and repercussions) are defined in terms of losses and gains of ecosystem services and societal benefits. The legal precedents and repercussions of both options are considered in terms of the 10-tenets of sustainable marine management. Finally a ‘renewables-to-reefs’ programme is proposed.

Citation

Smyth, K., Christie, N., Burdon, D., Atkins, J. P., Barnes, R., & Elliott, M. (2015). Renewables-to-reefs? – Decommissioning options for the offshore wind power industry. Marine pollution bulletin, 90(1-2), 247-258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.10.045

• Acceptance Date: Jan 1, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Nov 18, 2014
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Deposit Date: May 5, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: May 5, 2015
• Journal: Marine pollution bulletin
• Print ISSN: 0025-326X
• Electronic ISSN: 1879-3363
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 90
• Issue: 1-2
• Pages: 247-258
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.10.045
• Keywords: Decommissioning; Offshore wind power; Ecosystem services assessment; Renewables-to-reefs; DPSIR framework; SWOT analysis
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/373411
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X14007292
• Additional Information: Author's accepted manuscript of article published in: Marine pollution bulletin, 2015, v.90, issue 1-2.