Maritime Security and the Wind: Threats and Risks to Offshore Renewable Energy Infrastructure

Christian Bueger, Timothy Edmunds

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Abstract

Offshore wind energy production has seen a significant expansion in recent years. With technologies rapidly improving and prices dropping, it is now one of the key instruments in the green energy transition. The implications of offshore wind farm expansion for maritime security and ocean governance have, so far, received sparse attention in the literature. This article offers one of the first thorough analyses of the security of offshore wind farms and related installations, such as underwater electricity cables, energy islands, and hydrogen plants. The technical vulnerabilities of wind farm systems is reviewed and threats from terrorism, crime and State hostilities, including physical and cyber risk scenarios, are discussed. The expansion of green offshore energy production must keep pace with the changing threat landscape that follows from it. Prospective solutions for the protection of wind farms systems, including surveillance, patrols and self-protection are discussed. The current repertoire of maritime security solutions is in many ways capable of dealing with the threats and risks effectively if adjusted accordingly. The analysis builds important new bridges between debates in energy security and maritime security, as well as the implications of climate change adaption and mitigation for security at sea.

Original languageEnglish
JournalOcean Yearbook Online
Volume38
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)433-458
Number of pages26
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Christian Bueger's research has benefitted from funding by the Velux Foundation and the Edinburgh-Copenhagen Partnership Fund. The research has also been supported by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ES/S008810/1). For discussions, comments and suggestions that have informed this article the authors would like to thank Andrew Neal, Trine Villumsen Berling, Veronika Slakaityte, Jan Stockbruegger, Vonintsoa Raffaly, and Tobias Liebetrau, as well as a range of conversation partners in the energy industry that have preferred to stay anonymous.

Funding Information:
Christian Bueger\u2019s research has benefitted from funding by the Velux Foundation and the Edinburgh-Copenhagen Partnership Fund. The research has also been supported by the UK Economic and Social Research Council ( ES /S008810/1). For discussions, comments and suggestions that have informed this article the authors would like to thank Andrew Neal, Trine Villumsen Berling, Veronika Slakaityte, Jan Stockbruegger, Vonintsoa Raffaly, and Tobias Liebetrau, as well as a range of conversation partners in the energy industry that have preferred to stay anonymous.

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2024 by Christian Bueger and Timothy Edmunds.

Keywords

  • cyber security
  • energy security
  • marine safety
  • maritime security
  • offshore wind energy

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