Biodiversity Enhanced Scour Protection
Improving the biodiversity in the North Sea with the BeWild project.
Through an interdisciplinary approach, Mecal’s contribution to the BeWild project is designed to be a win-win solution; we are securing the structural integrity of the offshore wind farms through scour protection, whilst fostering the ecosystem around it by maintaining and improving biodiversity. This approach contributes to a sustainable solution for renewable energy and wildlife conservation.
A MOOI-funded project
BeWild is a MOOI-funded project (Mission-driven Research, Development, and Innovation), subsidized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, and implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Moreover, it is a collaborative effort between multiple organizations.
Oysters, the Ecosystem Engineers
In the past years, the marine biodiversity has declined drastically. An example can be found in the North Sea, where the native flat oyster is a currently endangered animal. Ensuring that marine life will thrive once again requires a helping hand. Mecal is contributing to this goal by focusing on restoring the oyster population. How do we do this? By effectively utilizing our Nodes to make use of nature’s resources: Oysters.
Enhancing water quality
Their remarkable water filtration capabilities significantly contribute to enhancing the health of aquatic ecosystems. By increasing water clarity and eliminating pollutants harmful to other animals, they create a more hospitable environment.
Moreover, the flat oysters play a crucial role in denitrification, removing excess nitrogen which prevents the overgrowth of algae, thereby preserving light and oxygen levels essential for marine life.
Creating habitats for more aquatic species
Oyster reefs serve as thriving habitats, providing shelter and feeding grounds for various aquatic species. As a result, they not only bolster fish populations but also foster greater biodiversity, ensuring the resilience and vitality of underwater ecosystems.
Hosting for a Biodiverse Community
Nodes carrying oyster larvae are introduced to the subsea environment and provide a home for said oysters in the scour protection system. Besides creating a home for the flat oysters, nature-inclusive scour protection systems can foster biodiverse communities by utilizing a smart design that implements specific shapes and calcareous materials, resulting in a hospitable environment that can provide shelter for aquatic species of various sizes (such as the juvenile Atlantic Cod). By improving the habitat, Mecal is also providing the ecosystem with passive restoration opportunities.
Scour Protection
One of the challenges in offshore windfarms is scouring. Scour is a phenomenon where due to water motions, erosion of the seabed sediments occurs and a hole is created around the monopile, the base of the windmill. This means the structural integrity of the windmills is at risk. Scour protection systems are designed to increase the stability of the windmills.
At Mecal, nature-inclusive Nodes are designed to enhance biodiversity and prevent erosion of the seabed sediments around the structures by effective use of materials and techniques. This material is beneficial for settling organisms, and provides other attractive cue for subsea life. The bio units will be added to the outer layer of existing scour protection systems and will ensure the stability and longevity of offshore windfarms by protecting the sediments around the monopile from being washed out.