ORNIT-EOF

In 2021, three pilot floating offshore wind farms will be operational in the Gulf of Lion. In addition, the consultation organised by the Interregional Directorate for the Mediterranean Sea made it possible to define 4 macro-zones, covering a total area of 3300 km², on which calls for tenders for commercial parks could be launched as part of the new multiannual energy programming.

The integration of infrastructure such as floating wind turbines into the complex, fragile and coveted marine coastal ecosystems is a challenge. Despite research carried out in various settings, including many scientific programmes, our understanding of marine ecosystems, integrating all their components (avifauna, plankton, ichthyofauna, mammals, etc.), is still insufficient. The development of observational data sets has often been suggested to fill this knowledge gap.

The establishment of a high-frequency observatory would provide the necessary knowledge on the interactions between floating wind turbines and ecosystems to optimize the environmental integration of commercial farms.