As offshore wind capacity expands worldwide to support climate goals and strengthen energy security, understanding its interactions with marine biodiversity has become increasingly important.
While offshore wind energy plays a central role in the transition to a low-carbon economy, its development can affect marine ecosystems in a variety of ways. At the same time, offshore infrastructure may also create new ecological opportunities. Understanding this complexity is essential to inform better planning, investment and operational decisions.
To better understand these interactions and identify solutions for reducing biodiversity risks, Mirova Research Center (MRC) and the Fondation pour la Recherche sur la Biodiversité (FRB) have joined forces through a three-year research programme on the impacts of renewable energy infrastructure on biodiversity. Combining scientific literature reviews and practical recommendations, the programme aims to help reconcile climate objectives with biodiversity conservation while supporting more informed decision-making across the renewable energy sector.
This research stream focuses on offshore wind power, examining both its impacts on marine ecosystems and the measures that can help avoid, reduce, or mitigate them. Alongside detailed scientific reports, the programme also provides accessible digests and practical guides designed for policymakers, researchers, developers and infrastructure operators.
Scientific research shows that offshore wind farms can generate both pressures and opportunities for biodiversity.
Several impacts have been consistently documented:
Beyond impacts on individual species and habitats, the research also examines effects on marine ecosystem services. Offshore wind farms can influence fisheries resources, recreational activities and other ecosystem functions, generating both opportunities and trade-offs for local communities and marine ecosystems.
However, offshore wind infrastructure can also generate positive ecological effects.Turbine foundations can act as artificial reefs, creating hard substrates that are colonised by marine organisms and attracting fish and other aquatic species. In some locations, fishing restrictions around wind farms may also contribute to a "reserve effect", supporting increases in fish biomass and abundance. These findings illustrate the complexity of biodiversity responses and reinforce the need for site-specific assessments. They also highlight important knowledge gaps regarding long-term ecosystem responses and cumulative impacts, which remain insufficiently documented in the scientific literature.
One conclusion emerges clearly from the scientific literature: the greatest opportunities to reduce biodiversity risks often occur before construction begins.
Careful site selection remains among the most effective measures available. This includes:
Once projects are operational, several additional measures can help reduce impacts:
While a growing number of mitigation measures are being proposed and implemented, relatively few studies have directly assessed their effectiveness in offshore environments. Continued monitoring, testing and evaluation therefore remain essential.
Despite growing interest in mitigation measures, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding their effectiveness in offshore environments, highlighting the need for further research and monitoring.
The research also highlights the importance of stronger collaboration between scientists, developers, operators and public authorities. Better data sharing, harmonized monitoring protocols and coordinated research efforts will be essential to improve biodiversity outcomes and support the responsible development of offshore wind energy.