LIF-OWI

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..