CBCGDF-OceanWetlands: "Technical Specification for Tracking and Monitoring of Marine Ecological and Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Power Projects" shall consider the inclusion of “decommissioning of wind power equipment”

In November 2024, the marine industry standard “Technical Specification for Tracking and Monitoring of Marine Ecological and Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Power Projects" (Draft for Comments) was open for public consultation, and the OceanWetlands Group of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) responded positively to the call. After careful study and discussion, a number of suggestions were submitted.

Offshore wind power.  Three offshore wind turbines at Alpha-Ventus, south of German waters, and their substation. Image taken in 2009, photo by SteKrueBe (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Firstly, it is suggested that the standard should consider the inclusion of “wind turbine decommissioning”.


The inclusion of “decommissioning of wind power equipment” ensures that ecological monitoring and protection is not neglected during the entire life cycle of a wind power project.


Decommissioning of wind power equipment will become a new challenge as the equipment ages. Decommissioning of wind power equipment is a complex process involving equipment removal, waste disposal and disturbance of seabed sediments. During these processes, the marine ecosystem may face new problems - e.g., when dismantling the equipment, the seabed sediments may be disturbed, which in turn generates suspended sediments and affects the water quality; the waste, if not handled correctly, may also pollute the marine environment; and changes in the electromagnetic environment and noise may also affect the marine organisms. Therefore, effective monitoring and assessment of the possible marine ecological impacts during the decommissioning of wind power equipment is particularly important.


Compared with the construction and operation phases, the decommissioning phase usually involves the dismantling of the equipment, transportation of the equipment and disposal of waste, and these operations may have new impacts on the marine ecosystem. Therefore, it is necessary to establish some monitoring requirements during the decommissioning phase (which can be supplemented by adding a chapter to this standard) to ensure that the environmental impacts are effectively controlled.


In addition, ecological restoration is not completed immediately after the decommissioning of wind power equipment. How to monitor the ecological changes after decommissioning in the long term to ensure that the restoration work is effectively promoted is an issue that deserves attention.


It is recommended that the decommissioning of wind power equipment be included in the standard, which will help improve the ecological and environmental management system of wind power projects, as well as the standard system, and ensure the effective assessment and monitoring of the environmental impacts of the whole life cycle of wind power equipment. The standard will also help to stimulate technological innovation and enhance the “green competitiveness” of China's wind power equipment in the international market through the standard in a forward-looking manner. 

(Note: This article is a record of daily work and is for reference only.)


Editor: Samantha

Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776

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