Our Project
North Sea Renewable Energy: Gaining the Required Ecological Knowledge for the Transition (NO-REGRETS) is a five-year interdisciplinary research programme that investigates how the rapid expansion of offshore wind farms (OWFs) will reshape the North Sea as a social-ecological system.
The project responds to one of Europe’s greatest challenges: ensuring that the transition to renewable energy is compatible with biodiversity conservation, sustainable fisheries, and resilient coastal communities. By 2050, thousands of wind turbines will supply over 70 GW of power in the Dutch North Sea alone - enough to meet the country’s entire energy demand. This transformation offers climate solutions but also creates unprecedented ecological and economic pressures.
NO-REGRETS takes a holistic, food-web approach, linking physical processes, biogeochemistry, ecology, and socio-economics. The project integrates advanced measurements, modelling, and stakeholder dialogue to better understand:
Physical & Biogeochemical Impacts
How offshore wind farm infrastructure alters currents, sediment transport, turbidity, nutrient cycles, and primary production.
Underwater Soundscapes
Monitoring how construction and operation noise influence marine species.
Ecosystem Dynamics
Effects on plankton, benthic communities, fish stocks, seabirds, and marine mammals with a focus on small pelagic fish that are central to food webs and fisheries.
Socio-Economic Interchange & Future Scenarios
Assessing how offshore wind expansion interacts with fisheries, ecosystem services, and coastal communities. Projecting ecological and economic outcomes to 2050 and beyond under different climate and energy transition pathways