Floating wind study in Spain ranks marine mammals, sharks, rays and seafloor invertebrates among highest-risk protected species

Floating offshore wind is rising over Spanish waters, increasing ecological impact concerns about protected marine species.

Strict European decarbonization targets are pressuring nations to accelerate clean energy expansion.

Spain is focusing on utility-scale floating infrastructure investments, but risks disrupting biologically sensitive waters.

Fortunately, developers have turned to offshore wind generation to ensure high-capacity power drives the nation’s clean energy transition forward.

In a study focused on the Gulf of Roses, potential risks to local wildlife are being evaluated before construction begins.

Will Spain establish a balance between green power generation and long-term marine conservation?

How the Spanish energy landscape requires greater power capacity

Among the many nations that have a longstanding relationship with fossil fuels is Spain.

Historically, the country heavily depended on imports of carbon-intensive sources to meet its energy needs.

However, this reliance is being challenged by strict European Union climate regulations.

These regulations mandate the rapid phasing out of natural gas, oil, and coal.

Furthermore, Spain established its own ambitious decarbonization goals.

Under its National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan, 81% of electricity must be generated from renewable sources by 2030.

But national energy demand continues to increase at the same time.

To meet growing electricity demand, green power capacity must undergo massive expansion.

Traditional onshore projects often face land limitations and local opposition.

This is especially seen in regions like Spain, with overcrowded cities and coastal areas.

Fortunately, developers have turned to offshore wind generation to ensure high-capacity power drives the nation’s clean energy transition forward.

The growing need for high-capacity offshore wind generation

Marine power generation is key to unlocking vast wind resources without land-use conflicts.

Ocean breezes are more consistent and stronger, offering high capacity to drive major electricity output.

In some regions, offshore wind costs could even drop by up to 28% by 2050.

This can be attributed to turbine standardization and steady project prospects.

However, Spain’s traditional offshore deployment faces spatial bottlenecks.

The nation has a narrow continental shelf with a sudden drop.

Shallow waters are virtually non-existent along its coastline.

This makes fixed-bottom turbines technically challenging and uneconomic.

Fortunately, floating wind turbine structures are pioneering deeper waters.

The technology is tethered to the seafloor with mooring lines.

This configuration enables clean power generation at much greater ocean depths.

Yet it also creates another challenge to address: ecological risks for local marine wildlife.

A comprehensive impact modeling study was conducted in Catalonia’s Gulf of Roses to evaluate environmental trade-offs.

The potential impact on biologically sensitive waters

Researchers are increasingly assessing the risks of floating wind developments.

A team led by the Institute of Marine Sciences and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia conducted a spatial risk assessment.

Their research focused on the Gulf of Roses and the Cap de Creus, a zone chosen for floating wind expansion.

The study evaluated 135 policy-relevant species protected under European Union Directives and international conservation agreements.

The goal was to evaluate pressure-response interactions of these species to technical wind farm components.

These interactions were mapped across construction, operation, and decommissioning phases.

Distinct risks across several fragile taxonomic groups

It was found that marine mammals face:

• Higher vessel collision risks
• Displacement
• Behavioral disruption from low-frequency operational noise and cable movements

Pelagic elasmobranchs, like sharks and rays, were highly sensitive to the electromagnetic fields of submerged power cables.

Sessile benthic invertebrates, like sea pens and cold-water corals, face:

• Habitat destruction
• Direct physical disturbance
• Sediment resuspension

The study’s findings highlight that biodiversity hotspots like the Gulf of Roses are not necessarily ideal for floating offshore wind.

It is vital that developers prioritize immense spatial planning for prospective projects.

This will help protect sensitive Mediterranean marine wildlife while expanding green energy capacity.

Ultimately, regulators must mandate targeted mitigation measures like real-time acoustic monitoring to ensure continuous conservation.

You can review these findings with Wawrzynkowski, P., Molins, C., & Lloret, J. (2025). Assessing the potential impacts of floating Offshore Wind Farms on policy-relevant species: A case study in the Gulf of Roses, NW Mediterranean. Marine Policy, 172, 106518.