Research & Development

Project

LIF-OWI

Environmental, socio-economic and technological challenges for life cycle assessments of offshore wind farms

Motivation & background

Increasing the share of renewable energy production is essential to reach the ambitious sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. Offshore wind farms are hereby a promising renewable energy source. Their environmental evaluation within the internationally recognized life cycle assessment framework is essential to avoid any burden-shifting. However, this type of analysis is still often limited to specific environmental aspects (i.e. greenhouse gas emissions estimation). Besides, the social life cycle assessment is at early stages of development, regardless of the industrial sector. Consequently, no holistic sustainability approach for offshore wind farms currently exists, neither guidelines for developers. Such guidelines are urgently needed since life cycle assessment of projects are requested by public authorities. It is the case in France where life-cycle carbon footprint assessment will become mandatory in the public call for tenders for commercial farms..

LIF-OWI Project

Objectives

  • To develop a comprehensive methodological framework for environmental and social life cycle assessment and validate it by applying it to a selection of offshore wind farms (pilot and commercial, floating and bottom-fixed)
  • To identify ways to improve the environmental and societal sustainability of offshore wind farms using the results of their life cycle assessments

Scientific content

Development of detailed guidelines and reference materials for environmental and social analysis

Identification of specific indicators (not existing or identified today) for biodiversity and social life cycle assessment

Case studies based on data from several offshore wind farms: life cycle analysis on the environmental and then societal aspects and preliminary identification of the crucial points for the eco-design of offshore wind projects

Transfer methodology and best practices to the sector through online platform and workshops

Expected results

  • Development and validation of a comprehensive life cycle assessment approach dedicated to the bottom-fixed and floating offshore wind contexts
  • Inclusion of indicators linked to environmental and societal issues currently not well integrated into life cycle assessment of energy production systems
  • Decision-making tools for developers and operators to carry out prospective life cycle assessment and help choosing
    among several designs

Conclusion

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Partners

This project was led by MINES Paris – PSL and France Energies Marines.

Logo France Energies Marines
Logo RTE
Logo EDF
Logo Innosea ABL Group
Logo Naval Energies
Logo ENGIE
Logo TotalEnergies
Logo OW Ocean Winds
Logo Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Logo Vallourec
Logo Les éoliennes flottantes du golfe du Lion

Funding

This project received French State funding managed by the National Research Agency under the France 2030 investment plan.

It also received financial support from ADEME, EDF Renouvelables, the Normandy Region and the SUD Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region.

Logo France 2030
Logo ADEME 2020
Logo EDF Renouvelables
Logo Région Normandie
Logo Région SUD Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Accreditation

This project was certified by the maritime cluster Pôle Mer Méditerranée. 

Logo Pôle Mer Méditerranée

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