The study was conducted by s.Pro – sustainable projects GmbH, a founding member of the SUBMARINER Network, together with Ramboll Germany and FuE-Zentrum FH Kiel GmbH. Its central question: which combinations of maritime uses are realistically feasible alongside offshore wind farms, and under what legal, technical, and ecological conditions?
The research examined 32 distinct forms of marine use and assessed their compatibility with one another. The most in-depth analysis focused on four combinations considered most promising for the German EEZ: low-trophic aquaculture (mussels, algae, and oysters), passive fishing with basket and trap gear, biogenic reef restoration, and various forms of mobile research.
A key finding is that several of these secondary uses are already permissible under existing German law, without requiring legislative changes.
Nature restoration through biogenic reefs and low-trophic aquaculture, in particular, were found to be technically and legally compatible with operational offshore wind farms, and even offer potential ecological co-benefits such as nutrient removal and habitat creation.
The study recommends designating a limited number of multi-use demonstration areas as a practical next step — sites where secondary uses can be tested at scale, data can be shared across sectors, and approval processes can be refined. It also calls for expanding preliminary site investigations to include parameters relevant to secondary uses from the outset, reducing downstream costs and delays.
The five work packages are available at the BSH website under Expert Studies and Reports.
