The European Defence Agency's (EDA) Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) has paved the way for the launch of the Symbiosis project, a Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action (CSA) aimed at identifying and addressing barriers to the development of offshore renewable energy in areas used or reserved for military purposes. EDA formally launched Symbiosis on October 1, 2022, with the vision of enhancing the coexistence between defence and offshore renewable energy developments and paving the way for a future roadmap of coordinated actions to harness the potential of offshore renewable energy for the European Union (EU).
With the EU having the largest global maritime space, the project will prioritise the development of mutually beneficial coexistence between defence and offshore renewable energy developments. It will address concerns that large areas are reserved for the civil and military sectors at the national level, which can hinder the deployment of renewable energy sources.
By establishing two communities of users - one for defence and one for civilians - the Symbiosis project will gain deeper insights into the barriers for deploying offshore renewables in maritime defence space and create synergies to address them. It will map the maritime defence areas, assess their suitability for deploying offshore renewable projects, and analyse the hurdles and risks that constrain their development and exploitation. Through research, simulation-modelling, and evaluation-testing in the European maritime spaces, the project will develop regulatory, technological, and operational solutions and alternatives to address concerns and needs.
SYMBIOSIS Key Pillars
The scope of Symbiosis will be focused on three key pillars:
- Stakeholders: identify the key stakeholders (i.e., defence community, governmental authorities, industry, etc.) that need to be sensitised and engaged in reaching a shared understanding of each other’s concerns and requirements and create conditions for co-existence.
- Barriers: map the maritime areas reserved or used for present and future military activities and purposes, assess their suitability for the deployment of offshore renewable energy projects and identify barriers, hurdles, and risks constraining their development and exploitation.
- Solutions: present alternative options and viable solutions to address the identified barriers and provide recommendations for future work for managing the impediments and enabling sustainable conditions for co-existence.
SYMBIOSIS Background
This action builds on the extensive work carried out as part of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector, a Commission-funded initiative managed by EDA since 2015.