This year, several new energy projects have shown us that food, energy, sustainability, and the economies of the coast are interconnected. The most successful of these ventures so far is located off the coast of the Canary Islands.
AquaWind is an organization working to bring renewable energy and sustainable fisheries into the mainstream. Along with other projects, the worlds of good food, clean energy, and economic development for coastal communities are combining.
Renewable Energy and Aquaculture Combine
Off the coast of North Africa, near the Canary Islands, a new venture is taking off. The multidisciplinary AquaWind project is hoping to merge aquaculture with sustainable wind energy.
The group is building a prototype that’s part offshore floating wind farm and part fish farm. Elevated above the floating platform is a W2 Power wind turbine. Below its yellow beams are fish tanks and devices for measuring water quality.
With funding from multiple organizations, including the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund, the project’s leaders hope to have it up and running within the year.
Their goals are to show that multi-use platforms like this are not only possible, but practical solutions for clean energy and creating sustainable fisheries.
Now, governments and communities around the world’s coastlines are waiting to see if the project is able to deliver on its mission. Other coastal areas blessed with good waves and good wind, like the Canary Islands, might see similar developments in the future.
Other New Offshore Projects
The United States has started its own large-scale offshore wind farm off the coast of Long Island. The Danish wind energy company Ørsted and the utility company Eversource are behind the project, called South Fork Wind.
The wind farm can power over 70,000 homes from the 132 megawatts of energy it can generate from its 12 giant turbines. The companies are now building an even larger project off the coast of Rhode Island, which they call Revolution Wind. According to a new report, this offshore wind farm will supposedly power up to 350,000 homes.
Following the Revolution Wind project, talks are already underway for the development of Sunrise Wind. If approved by the government, this massive wind farm will tower over the seas off New York.
Similar projects are being funded across Europe, especially in the blustery seas of the Netherlands. Google is funding a massive new project off the Dutch coast and similar inland projects in other parts of Europe.