GEROA EUS
28/02/2023

DemoSATH Lab

Offshore wind coexisting with nature.

DESCRIPCIÓN DEL PROYECTO

DemoSATH Lab generates environmental impact data on floating offshore wind to enable co-use of marine space, advanced biodiversity monitoring, and targeted R&D.

Building on the real-scale data collected around the DemoSATH floating offshore wind turbine, installed since 2023, the Lab combines innovative sensing and analytics to help de-risk new designs, optimise operation and maintenance strategies, and reduce lifecycle impacts on marine ecosystems.
The insights produced are meant to support regulators, industry, researchers, and local communities in delivering offshore wind projects that truly coexist with nature.

Why floating offshore wind has to coexist with the environment?

Floating offshore wind is essential to decarbonising the energy system, delivering large volumes of low-carbon electricity close to demand centres and helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power generation. But this expansion is taking place in already busy and fragile seas, so projects must be carefully planned and operated, treating coexistence with the marine environment as a core design requirement rather than an afterthought.

OUR INVESTIGATION PROGRAMS


1. BIODIVERSITY RESILIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS​


DemoSATH Lab LBUs

Nature inclusive design program

Focuses on engineering and operational solutions that enhance habitat quality around the floating foundation and mooring system—for example, exploring eco-designed surfaces and layouts that can act as artificial reefs, improve connectivity for fish and invertebrates, and reduce disturbance to seabirds and marine mammals.
Our most recent addition is the installation of Ocean Ecostructures’ Life Boosting Units (LBUs), now attached to the submerged section of the platform.
Generated Image November 03, 2025 - 10_06AM

Biodiversity surveillance program

Combines multiple monitoring techniques to track how marine life responds over time.

  • It uses ROV surveys y underwater cameras for surveillance.
  • eDNA sampling provides a sensitive tool to detect a wide range of species, from invertebrates to fish and marine mammals.
  • In parallel, dedicated systems monitor birds in the area, record bat activity through acoustic listening, and a sonar is used to listen for fishes and cetaceans, building a high-resolution picture of how offshore wind interacts with marine biodiversity.

2. CO USE​


This initiative focuses on designing and piloting offshore co-use actions by integrating nature-based solutions to restore water quality and biodiversity. Key priorities include full HSE compliance, enhanced research access, and the development of a replicable activities for future floating wind installation sites.
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Fisheries

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Aquaculture

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R&D program

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Surveillance and defense

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Marine environment monitoring

3. IMPACTS​


This initiative focuses on designing and piloting offshore co-use actions by integrating nature-based solutions to restore water quality and biodiversity. Key priorities include full HSE compliance, enhanced research access, and the development of a replicable activities for future floating wind installation sites.

  • Bird & bat impact assessment We conduct extensive acoustic monitoring, quantify presence, fluxes, behavior, and risks for birds and bats. Our aim is to establish baselines, detect changes across the life cycle, and support evidence-based mitigation (e.g., curtailment, deterrents) and nature-inclusive design. Tools include CCTV cameras, DTBird modules, blade accelerometers, acoustic/vibration sensors, and ultrasonic recorders (PAM).
  • Strategies for invasion prevention Our research strategies for floating offshore wind farms focus on preventing invasive species and promoting autochthonous colonization. This ensures healthier, more resilient marine ecosystems around installations.
  • LCA: CO2 & circularity program We establish key sustainability indicators and investigate new components and materials with reduced emissions. Our program develops strategies for material circularity, aiming to minimize the environmental footprint of floatinf wind technology throughout its lifecycle.
  • Electromagnetic fields We conduct surveys, develop impact measurement methodologies, and utilize advanced modeling tools. This includes creating seascape models and digital twins to visualize and understand potential effects on the spatial marine environment.
 
 

COLLABORATING ENTITIES

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RESEARCH ACTIVITY

 
 
Research Title Field / Category Publication Resource
Characterization of underwater noise and AIS attribution Acoustics Marine Pollution Bulletin View Study →
Quantifying bird and bat presence in FOWF environments Biodiversity Journal of Applied Ecology View Study →
Strategies for invasion prevention in SATH platforms Ecosystems Ocean & Coastal Management View Study →
LCA: CO2 footprint and material circularity program Sustainability Cleaner Production Journal View Study →
Seascape modelling and Digital Twin adaptations Modeling Renewable Energy Focus View Study →
 

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