© North Sea Farmers
North Sea Farmers have made the first-ever harvest at North Sea Farm 1 – a seaweed cultivation project situated within an operational offshore wind farm in the North Sea. Located about 18 kilometres off the coast of Scheveningen, in the Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm, the initiative marks a milestone in integrating seaweed aquaculture into multi-use marine spaces.
The project, backed by €2 million from Amazon’s Right Now Climate Fund, is the world’s first commercial-scale seaweed farm to be positioned between wind turbines. It is a model that could open new pathways for sustainable aquaculture in marine environments already designated for renewable energy.
"The inaugural harvest of North Sea Farm 1 is a significant moment. Together with North Sea Farmers, we have proven that cultivated seaweed farming among offshore wind turbines is a viable commercial concept,” said Eva Faict, country manager for Amazon Netherlands and Belgium, in a press release.
The project, conceived in 2022, planted the first seaweeds in 2024. This harvest provides valuable insights to researchers who are looking into how seaweed farms remove carbon from the atmosphere, contributing to climate resilience and how to scale the cultivation of seaweed globally. In the longer term, seaweed farms could also promote biodiversity and reduce agricultural pressure on land.
By locating the farm between offshore wind turbines, North Sea Farmers have found a way of securing physical space for the farm that is protected from maritime traffic in the North Sea.
"Through ongoing scientific research, we aim to demonstrate whether farms like this can have a positive long-term impact on both biodiversity and climate change mitigation. At the same time, we're proving that seaweed production within an existing offshore infrastructure is possible at a commercial scale,” said Eef Brouwers, managing director of North Sea Farmers.
The harvesting process at North Sea Farm 1 involves the use of a special vessel carefully navigating between wind turbines to collect mature seaweed from four large nets, each measuring 50 metres by 3 metres, securely anchored to the seabed. Crews employ special equipment to gather the crop, which spans five hectares of the North Sea.
Monitoring the Environmental Impact
Researchers from Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Deltares and Silvestrum Climate Associates have spent the past year monitoring the North Sea farm using satellite data and site visits. After harvest, they will analyse seaweed growth, carbon uptake, and impacts on marine life – key factors in assessing the potential for scaling up seaweed cultivation between offshore wind turbines.
“Our analysis will follow the carbon from the seawater into the seaweed and the environment and any effects on biodiversity. We will be taking seabed samples, water samples and in-situ monitoring of marine life and the use of advanced eDNA techniques to gain a detailed understanding of the developing habitat and the various species it may or may not be supporting,” said Professor Ana M Queirós, Plymouth Marine Laboratory’s climate change lead and lead scientist on the project.
Irish-Led Delivery
The seaweed farm was developed by Ireland-based Simply Blue Group through its seaweed arm Óir na Farraige. Project manager Gareth Murphy said the team proved seaweed can be grown commercially within an active wind farm, overcoming technical and regulatory hurdles. A cooperation agreement with wind farm owner Vattenfall offers a model for future co-location projects.
“In the Netherlands, this project went from concept to harvest in under three years. Over that same period, we're still awaiting approval for a nearshore seaweed licence in Ireland. It highlights the potential of the blue economy – and the importance of enabling conditions to unlock it,” said Murphy.
