Ørsted and Van Oord’s initiative, Ocean Health, has announced it will install droppable oyster structures in offshore wind farm Borssele 1&2, introducing the European flat oyster to the site with the aim of enhancing biodiversity.
A new installation method will be applied, enabling manual deployment of oyster broodstock structures that were designed and researched by Van Oord and Delft University of Technology to be suitable for large scale application.
“We want the transition to renewable energy to be one that creates long-term value for people and nature, with a positive impact on climate and biodiversity,” says Ruben Dijkstra, managing director of Ørsted Benelux. “We’re partnering with experts like Van Oord to develop scalable restoration measures that can help us meet our net-positive biodiversity impact ambition.”
Previously, Ørsted and Van Oord have both been engaged in multiple efforts to reintroduce the European flat oyster in the Dutch North Sea by placing liftable broodstock structures. The new installation method will be tested and monitored in the Borssele 1&2 site starting this year.
