Environmentally conscious projects: targeting decisions based on costs and benefits

Presentation Description: Renewable energy offers one solution to our world’s climate-related problems, and many wind companies strive to develop solutions conscious of the environment. For example, designing environmentally conscious projects could minimize their footprint, use less material, and create structures that provide a net ecological benefit. While environmentally conscious projects appeal to multiple stakeholders, ecological decisions can also increase project costs. Therefore, we will illustrate four different cases where the outcomes of environmentally conscious decisions justify the expense and can eventually reduce overall project costs: 1) in protected habitat, where site condition would preclude construction in the absence of nature-based design; 2) to mitigate conflict with other stakeholders, by demonstrating the developer is acting in good faith to benefit the environment, 3) secondary enhancements that target areas of high need, informed by ecologically meaningful monitoring, 4) planned enhancements that target areas of high need, informed by past projects. These four cases identify conditions best suited for environmentally conscious design in offshore wind projects exemplifying the need for environmental design considerations at early stages of project development. Nevertheless, clear regulations will improve the outcomes of environmentally conscious projects by setting targets, incentivizing participation, and providing oversight.