GEROA EUS
28/02/2023

DemoSATH Lab

Offshore wind coexisting with nature.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

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​


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.
Biodiversity surveillance program - DemoSATH Lab

Biodiversity surveillance program

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

  • It uses ROV surveys and 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.

Fisheries

Aquaculture

R&D program

Surveillance and defense

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

Greenov
Fundación Biodiversidad
TMS Maritime Solutions
BiMEP
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Metacoustic
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
EHU

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

 
 
Environmental DNA in Offshore Wind EIA poster 2024
Biodiversity

Environmental DNA in Offshore Wind EIA: DemoSATH

Environmental DNA monitoring for marine biodiversity assessment around DemoSATH.

eDNA EIA Biodiversity
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Bat monitoring in DemoSATH poster 2025
Bats

Bat Monitoring in a Floating Offshore Wind Platform in Spain: DemoSATH

First insights into bat activity around Spain’s floating offshore wind platform.

Bats Offshore wind Monitoring
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Bird Monitoring in DemoSATH LAB poster 2025
Birds

Bird Monitoring in DemoSATH LAB

Bird monitoring data, risk assessment and mitigation around DemoSATH.

Birds DTBird CCTV
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Environmental Management Plan poster 2024
Environmental management

Floating Offshore Wind: Environmental Management Plan for Biodiversity and Fishing Resources

A monitoring plan for responsible floating offshore wind development.

EMP FOW Biodiversity
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Nature-Based Solutions in DemoSATH poster 2024
Nature-based solutions

Nature-Based Solutions for Marine Biodiversity and Resources in DemoSATH

SRU reef units designed to promote biodiversity and protect offshore infrastructure.

NBS SRU Marine life
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Power BI for EIA and Environmental Monitoring poster 2024
Data

Power BI for EIA and Environmental Monitoring

Interactive dashboards for environmental assessment and monitoring data.

Power BI EIA Dashboards
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Bird monitoring around DemoSATH floating offshore wind platform poster 2024
Birds

Bird Monitoring Around the DemoSATH Floating Offshore Wind Platform

Avifauna monitoring methods and objectives around the DemoSATH platform.

Birds SPA Monitoring
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