EWEA - Competing for the sea: a hot topic at EWEA OFFSHORE 2011

The sea may seem like a vast and empty place, but it is a potential conflict zone for the many sea-users. From fisheries to oil and gas, tourism to offshore wind power, shipping lanes to military zones, sea space has many people vying for its use – and these conflicting interests will be the subject of a stimulating debate chaired by Anne-Bénédicte Genachte, EWEA’s regulatory affairs advisor at OFFSHORE 2011.

“Proper maritime spatial planning brings multiple benefits,” Genachte says, including reducing the time needed for permitting procedures, providing investors with certainty and reducing the costs of offshore projects.

Genachte is looking forward to discussing all the issues surrounding maritime spatial planning at her session alongside expert speakers from the European Commission, SEANERGY 2020 and E.ON among others.

“This debate is timely since the European Commission is expected to propose options for encouraging maritime spatial planning in Europe during the first half of 2012,” she said.

Genachte explains that proper planning impacts directly on the social acceptance of an offshore wind project. If all players are fully consulted during the planning phase then any potential objections can be cancelled out at an earlier phase. Moreover, different players can talk openly about how they can work together.

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