Wind turbines rotate in the Baltic Sea between the islands of Rügen and Bornholm (Denmark). (Photo … [+]
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Europe has begun developing offshore energy islands that host more than just wind turbines.
A Dutch-Belgian island will combine wind turbines with seaweed farms that will capture carbon and produce human food, animal feed, biofuels or bioplastics. Germany and Scotland are cooperating on a wind farm that will produce green hydrogen.
“This may only be the start for many different kinds of energy islands,” said Marc von Keitz, a program director for the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). “Offshore wind farms can become the anchor technology for more integrated offshore energy islands.”
In addition to seaweed cultivation, offshore wind could be combined with floating solar, wave power, tidal power, and ocean thermal-energy…