University College Dublin and Codling Wind Park, which will be located off the Co Wicklow coast, are launching a new research project which aims to promote and enhance marine biodiversity along the Irish coast.
The research partnership will explore the potential for restoring native oyster reefs and seagrass beds, both in the Dublin Bay area and at selected sites along the coastline.
Codling Wind Park, which is the country's largest Phase One offshore wind project, will be located about 13 to 22 kilometres off the Co Wicklow coast between Greystones and Wicklow Town.
If approved it will generate 1,300 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity - enough to power over one million homes.
The research project, which will be funded by Codling Wind Park, will also investigate how eco-engineering approaches, a form of nature inclusive design, can increase native habitat for native species.
The Project Director of Codling Wind Park, Scott Sutherland, said the partnership with UCD forms a key element of the first phase of the project's Biodiversity Strategy.
"Codling Wind Park will supply over a quarter of Ireland's 2030 offshore wind target and displace up to 1.7 million tonnes of carbon, contributing significantly to the country’s national climate targets. We recognise, however, that in parallel with the current climate crisis, we are facing a global biodiversity emergency and that it is our responsibility to develop the project in a manner that protects and where possible enhances biodiversity," he added.
Assist Professor Paul Brooks of UCD's School of Biology and Environmental Science said that in the face of growing environmental challenges, researchers were increasingly focusing on the concept of using nature-based solutions to address various societal and ecological issues.
He said one of the aims of this project was to broaden understanding of the uses of nature-based solutions (NbS) in restoring and promoting biodiversity.
"NbS utilise the inherent power of nature to provide sustainable and multifaceted solutions to complex problems. In partnership with Codling Wind Park, UCD researchers aim to investigate and assess the value of NbS, with a particular focus on eco-engineering approaches and the restoration of oyster reefs and seagrass beds along the Irish coast," he added.
