Look back on successful second edition of Café De Zee

The concession of the first Belgian offshore wind farm expires in 2039. The operators must then restore the area to its original state. This nevertheless involves a lot of work.
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15 July 2021
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Belgium is currently the leader in installing and maintaining offshore wind farms. A new economic opportunity will soon present itself for our companies: dismantling offshore wind farms. 

When the concession for the wind farms expires, a lot of innovative pioneering work will be needed to successfully dismantle the farms. The knowledge and expertise gained by Flemish companies can then be exported internationally. 

Legislative framework

In a first part, Marijn Rabaut (Blue Cluster) elaborated on the legal requirements linked to the concession. The Belgian government has created a strict framework within which offshore wind turbines are possible off the Belgian coast.

Underwater life

Steven Degraer (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences) then explained the ecological aspect of dismantling offshore wind turbines in a video. The foundations of offshore wind turbines are a breeding ground for marine life.

If we simply demolish the foundations of the wind turbines to restore the seabed to its original state, it could mean that the wildlife that has been established there will disappear again. That, of course, cannot be the intention. Food for thought…

cafe aan zee mensen

Companies’ perspective

Hugo Manière (Belgian Offshore Platform) and Pieter Jan Jordaens (Onshore & Offshore Wind Energy Industry - Sirris) then considered the economic side of the story. After all, it is the companies that will be responsible for the successful dismantling of wind turbines.

Restoring the seabed back to its natural state will be a major challenge and entail a significant cost. On the other hand, companies that commit to this will be able to build a lot of expertise that they can later potentially monetise internationally.

And more

The above discussions were followed by a video and a panel discussion in the studio with Lucien Romagnoli (DEME group), Chris Lehouck (Deco NV) and Filip Roelandt (Syntra West Group), during which there was also room for questions from the audience. 

In a closing speech, Jean de Bethune, deputy for the Province of West Flanders, said he was convinced that the dismantling of wind turbines can be a success story for the (local) economy.

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