Principal Investigator(s): Dr Bridget Durning
Contact: bdurning@brookes.ac.uk
Project start: April 2017
Funded by: EOWDC
The Effect of Offshore Wind on the Human Environment (THEOW): the socio-economic impacts of offshore wind farms
It is recognised that generating energy through renewable sources, as with offshore wind farms (OWF), is vital for society’s future. Energy generated through local renewable sources also has a global impact - it strengthens the security of supplies at local level by reducing reliance on imported energy and also reduces the use of energy derived from fossil fuels, thus contributing to mitigating global climate change.
In addition to societal impacts, renewable energy generation is seen as providing economic opportunities through job creation and bringing inward investment. Yet, although many societal and economic (socio-economic) benefits are stated, what the actual impacts are on the economy and communities near to OWF have never been explored.
The results of the main part of the study were released by Vattenfall in late 2020, via a press release, which identified that the study showed that "local jobs, contracts and the Unlock our Future Fund connected to Vattenfall’s Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm are estimated to generate well over £5 million each year for the Aberdeen and wider Aberdeenshire economy over a 20-year period within its operating life".
The press release was picked up by numerous offshore wind technical journals as well as the Scottish media. The lead author of the technical and guidance reports, Emeritus Professor John Glasson, has been invited by the Scottish Government to advise them on assessing the socio-economic impacts of offshore wind. He also presented the research findings on a webinar to the members of Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment in February 2021.