Accompanying ecological research at alpha ventus: The StUKplus research project

Abstract

Ecological research at alpha ventus is brought together in the StUKplus research project. In 2008, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) was put in charge of coordinating the StUKplus project over a time period of almost six years - from May 2008 to March 2014. StUKplus is the most important German research project on potential environmental impacts related to offshore windfarms so far. During the extensive field research programme, novel observation methods and technologies such as aerial digital survey techniques and new bird migration radars were applied for the first time in German waters. The purpose was to gain a better understanding of possible environmental impacts of offshore windfarms and to evaluate the second update of the StUK standard which was used for the first time in an offshore windfarm during construction and operation – i.e. in the alpha ventus offshore test site.