Methods used to assess seabird impacts from offshore wind farms may be significantly overestimating effects and producing biologically implausible outcomes, according to a new report from the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council.
SOWEC said ornithological environmental impact assessments apply precaution at multiple stages, compounding predicted impacts and obscuring the likelihood of effects actually occurring.
The report, prepared by SLR Consulting, added that current approaches may be overstating the level of seabird compensation required for critical offshore infrastructure.
“Ornithology impact assessments are extremely complex and the current process to determine the impact of offshore wind farms on seabirds presents a risk to the UK’s offshore wind sector,” said Colin Palmer, director of offshore at Scottish Renewables and chair of the SOWEC environment and planning, data and route to market theme.
“SOWEC’s report has identified areas in which current assessments may be unrealistic, which means that offshore wind projects, as applicable, could be paying more in compensation than is truly necessary.
“The report recommends that future assessments should follow a robust scientific evaluation of evidence to inform a risk-based approach to decision-making, with precaution then applied to those decisions.”