ECOMUG: nature inclusive offshore infrastructure
The North Sea is changing rapidly. Many natural habitats for fish and seabed animals have disappeared over the past two centuries. The sea, once filled with reefs, now consists mostly of sandy seabed. At the same time, more and more structures are appearing at sea, such as wind turbines and other offshore infrastructure. This creates opportunities to combine infrastructure and nature restoration in a smart way. At the Research and Development Centre of Kiel University of Applied Sciences (F&E GmbH), researchers are working on exactly that.
The research
In this project – also known as the ECOMUG project – researchers are developing a new nature‑inclusive solution that can be easily attached to existing offshore infrastructure. It is designed to provide additional habitat for young fish and help increase biodiversity.
For the experiment, the researchers are placing six underwater structures on steel piles in the Kiel Fjord in northern Germany. They will test two types of materials, each in three identical setups:
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A mixture of biochar and concrete
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Gabions filled with biodegradable elements and oyster shells
A key innovation in this research is the attachment method: the structures will be mounted using electro‑permanent magnets for the first time. If this method proves successful, it could offer a simple and cost‑efficient way to apply nature‑inclusive design at sea.
From pilot setup to offshore applications
Before the technique can be applied at larger scale at sea, the researchers will test the design in the harbour. There, they assess how robust the design is and how easily installation, maintenance and scaling can take place. At the same time, they are developing a monitoring plan to measure the ecological effects of these nature‑friendly structures, for example using underwater cameras.
The knowledge gained from this project will form the basis for larger applications in the future. The ultimate goal is to integrate nature‑inclusive structures into offshore infrastructure, such as wind turbines. In this way, these installations can contribute to restoring habitats for fish and other marine species.
Partners
This project is carried out by the Research and Development Centre of Kiel University of Applied Sciences (FuE Zentrum FH Kiel GmbH) and is funded by Nature Regeneration North Sea.
