Abstract
The Working Group on Marine Benthal and Renewable Energy Developments (WGMBRED) examines benthal and renewable energy related research, cause-effect relationships and develops guidelines to aid future research.
This report examines the ecological implications of offshore renewable energy infrastructure on benthic ecosystems, with a focus on developing scientific methods for assessment, monitoring, and management. The overall objectives were to improve understanding of the tools and frameworks necessary to assess ecological change and inform decision-making around marine renewable energy.
The report addresses five main questions: (1) how non-extractive monitoring methods can be used effectively for benthic surveys; (2) how energy emissions from offshore infrastructure affect benthic species; (3) how decommissioning of marine structures should be assessed ecologically; (4) how offshore infrastructure influences the provision of ecosystem services; and (5) how functional biological traits of benthic organisms can be used to assess ecosystem functioning.
Key conclusions include that non-invasive techniques (e.g., imagery, eDNA) offer complementary or alternative data to extractive methods, particularly when integrated into ecosystem modelling. However, comprehensive comparative datasets are still limited. The analysis of energy emissions such as noise, electromagnetic fields, and light revealed specific benthic groups and life stages likely to be affected, providing a scientific basis for further impact assessments. On decommissioning, the group identified technical, regulatory, environmental, and financial challenges, especially concerning habitat disturbance, waste recycling, and site-specific legislation. The report also introduced a novel framework linking offshore wind-related pressures to ecosystem service supply, supported by a semi-quantitative scoring system and an online tool. In addition, a trait-based database of 572 taxa associated with artificial structures was developed, allowing for functional assessments of ecological changes across natural and artificial substrates.
Scientific outputs include peer-reviewed publications, the BISAR database on benthic species, and an online tool for mapping ecosystem service pathways. These tools support cross-disciplinary integration and are designed for adaptation across regions and infrastructure types.
Future priorities include refining the trait-based approach through comparative analyses, further developing the ecosystem service linkage tool, and consolidating international case studies on non-extractive monitoring. These efforts aim to underpin evidence-based marine spatial planning and ensure ecological sustainability in offshore energy development.