MP Multi-Use

Belgium is a pioneer in offshore wind energy, and the federal government has committed to maximising the yield and economic use of its offshore energy production in the Belgian part of the North Sea. This must be achieved in the most sustainable way by maximizing the use of existing supporting infrastructure (foundations, erosion protection layers and cables).

At the same time, the government has set up a working group on sustainable decommissioning of offshore wind farms, considering the option of reusing this infrastructure. However, it is not yet clear which paths are technically and economically feasible. There are currently 399 wind turbines off the Belgian coast. The dismantling and replacement of these turbines will start towards the end of this decade.

MP Multi-Use aims to evaluate the potential reuse of existing offshore infrastructure as an alternative to complete decommissioning. For example, part of the foundation can serve a new purpose in future energy generation initiatives. The project will also investigate the current state of hybrid energy generation and the potential future use of offshore foundations after the decommissioning of an offshore wind farm.

More specifically, the partners will investigate whether monopile foundations of decommissioned wind turbines can be used to attach various forms of energy production. Examples include wave energy converters, tidal energy converters and floating solar panels. The combination with energy storage solutions will also be examined.