1.2.1 The MERMAID Project
The MERMAID (Innovative multipurpose offshore platforms: planning, design and
operation) FP7 European Commission project develops concepts for next-generation
offshore platforms for multi-use of ocean space for energy extraction, aquaculture
and platform-related transport (MERMAID 2015). The total budget is 7.4 million
euro, and the European Union has granted a financial contribution of 5.5 million euro
for the duration of 48 months. The project examines different concepts, such as a
combination of structures or completely new structures on representative sites under
different conditions. In addition, project development guidelines are produced for
stakeholders and end users, addressing a wide range of issues such as business and
technical aspects and spatial socio-economic planning. The MERMAID consortium
consists of 28 European partners from Denmark (Coordinator), Germany, Belgium,
Italy, Sweden, Spain, Greece, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, Cyprus and
the United Kingdom bringing together expertise from both science and industry
(universities (11), research institutes (8), industries (5) and small and medium
enterprises (4 SMEs)), from many regions in EU. The project considers four offshore
study sites for multi-use offshore platforms. Site-specific designs are being developed based on an extensive stakeholder consultation process and the environmental
characteristics of each site. MERMAID focuses on specific challenges in the Baltic
Sea, representing a typical estuarine area with fresh water from rivers and salt water
from the North Sea; the trans-boundary area of the North Sea-Wadden Sea,
representing a typical active morphology site; the Atlantic Ocean, representing a
typical deepwater site; and the Mediterranean Sea, representing a typical sheltered
deepwater site (Fig. 1.2).
The objectives of the project concerning the effective management procedures are
to address the variations in legislation and policies (institutional acceptance), attract
developers and investors (financial feasibility) and involve the stakeholders (socioeconomic and ecological acceptance). The MERMAID project also aims at the
development of innovative technology and design through the development of
(a) integrated concepts for extraction of renewable ocean energy, (b) offshore
aquaculture technology, (c) large-scale platform design concepts and
(d) unification of technologies and services. For the achievement of sustainable
integration, the project developed a framework of dynamic and spatial environmental and ecological sustainability and socio-economic viability of multi-use platforms
(MUPs). Moreover, for the integration of management, technology and social
economics at the four contrasting test sites, the target is to provide tools, techniques
and decision support systems that may be applied, tested and validated and are
suitable for immediate use. Finally, test sites are used to ensure that MERMAID
deliverables are of real value, practicable and usable (MERMAID 2019).
The project consists of nine work packages (WPs): WP1, Project Management;
WP2, Assessment of the Policy, Planning and Management Strategies; WP3, Development of Renewable Energy Conversion from Wind and Waves; WP4, Systems for
Sustainable Aquaculture and Ecologically Based Design; WP5, Interaction of
1 Introduction to the Oceans of Tomorrow: The Transition to Sustainability
5
The MERMAID (Innovative multipurpose offshore platforms: planning, design and
operation) FP7 European Commission project develops concepts for next-generation
offshore platforms for multi-use of ocean space for energy extraction, aquaculture
and platform-related transport (MERMAID 2015). The total budget is 7.4 million
euro, and the European Union has granted a financial contribution of 5.5 million euro
for the duration of 48 months. The project examines different concepts, such as a
combination of structures or completely new structures on representative sites under
different conditions. In addition, project development guidelines are produced for
stakeholders and end users, addressing a wide range of issues such as business and
technical aspects and spatial socio-economic planning. The MERMAID consortium
consists of 28 European partners from Denmark (Coordinator), Germany, Belgium,
Italy, Sweden, Spain, Greece, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, Cyprus and
the United Kingdom bringing together expertise from both science and industry
(universities (11), research institutes (8), industries (5) and small and medium
enterprises (4 SMEs)), from many regions in EU. The project considers four offshore
study sites for multi-use offshore platforms. Site-specific designs are being developed based on an extensive stakeholder consultation process and the environmental
characteristics of each site. MERMAID focuses on specific challenges in the Baltic
Sea, representing a typical estuarine area with fresh water from rivers and salt water
from the North Sea; the trans-boundary area of the North Sea-Wadden Sea,
representing a typical active morphology site; the Atlantic Ocean, representing a
typical deepwater site; and the Mediterranean Sea, representing a typical sheltered
deepwater site (Fig. 1.2).
The objectives of the project concerning the effective management procedures are
to address the variations in legislation and policies (institutional acceptance), attract
developers and investors (financial feasibility) and involve the stakeholders (socioeconomic and ecological acceptance). The MERMAID project also aims at the
development of innovative technology and design through the development of
(a) integrated concepts for extraction of renewable ocean energy, (b) offshore
aquaculture technology, (c) large-scale platform design concepts and
(d) unification of technologies and services. For the achievement of sustainable
integration, the project developed a framework of dynamic and spatial environmental and ecological sustainability and socio-economic viability of multi-use platforms
(MUPs). Moreover, for the integration of management, technology and social
economics at the four contrasting test sites, the target is to provide tools, techniques
and decision support systems that may be applied, tested and validated and are
suitable for immediate use. Finally, test sites are used to ensure that MERMAID
deliverables are of real value, practicable and usable (MERMAID 2019).
The project consists of nine work packages (WPs): WP1, Project Management;
WP2, Assessment of the Policy, Planning and Management Strategies; WP3, Development of Renewable Energy Conversion from Wind and Waves; WP4, Systems for
Sustainable Aquaculture and Ecologically Based Design; WP5, Interaction of
1 Introduction to the Oceans of Tomorrow: The Transition to Sustainability
5