Zeekracht Offshore Energy Plan
Industrial-ecological synergies in the North Sea
Industrial-ecological synergies in the North Sea
A visionary plan for zoning the North Sea, created for Natuur en Milieu, a Dutch NGO raising public and governmental support for offshore wind energy developments.
The urgency of sustainable and secure energy calls for a collective mobilization of intelligence and ambition that exceeds standard piecemeal solutions to climate change. Zeekracht, a masterplan for the Netherlands North Sea Marine Zone, maps out a massive renewable energy infrastructure engaging all its surrounding countries – and potentially those beyond – in a supra-national effort that will be both immediately exploitable and conducive to decades of coordinated development.
As project architect for OMA/AMO, I was closely involved in all stages of research, concept generation, master planning, and graphic design of all publication material.
Due to its high and consistent wind speeds, shallow waters, and dense surrounding populations with highly developed energy infrastructure and knowledge, the North Sea is arguably the world’s best site for large-scale offshore wind farming. The annual (renewable) energy that could be harvested from the North Sea approaches that currently produced by fossil fuels in the Gulf. With the increasingly desperate need for new sources of energy in the 21st century, the North Sea could – must – become a fulcrum of global energy production.
Unlike the usual planning methods based on least-conflict zoning, the masterplan suggests a multi-dimensional approach based on optimizing potential. The productivity and profitability of offshore wind farms can be enhanced if they synthesize with existing North Sea activities such as shipping and oil and gas extraction – and new programs such as eco stimulation and tourism.
