Hengstmann et al.
Environmental Sciences Europe (2026) 38:20
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-026-01329-4

znvironmental Sciences Europe

JE
‚POLICY BRIEF

Open Access

Regulation of chemical emissions
from offshore wind farms: comparative analysis
and policy recommendations for the North Sea

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Elena Hengstmann', Matthias Hasenbein', Anna Plaß', Bavo De Witte?, Karien De Cauwer®, Tom Baur“,
David Vanavermaete?, Dorothy Jane Dankel®, Ingo Weinberg! and Simone Hasenbein”

Abstract
The offshore wind energy sector is experiencing rapid and large-scale expansion in Europe, driven by increasingly
ambitious renewable energy targets that position it as a central component of global climate mitigation efforts.
The increasing number of offshore wind projects in the North Sea requires comprehensive regulations to monitor
and minimize the impacts on the marine environment during construction, operation and decommissioning. This
policy brief aims to summarize current regulations for chemical emissions in the North Sea area by reviewing available
national documents and websites for guidance in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway
in combination with information received from respective authorities. Based on the collected information, the policy
brief will give recommendations for potential harmonization to increase the protection of the environment and facilitate
 procedures. The comparative analysis of national and transnational regulations for chemical emissions from off
shore wind farms in North Sea bordering countries revealed that these are incomplete and differ between countries
in terms of their specifications and level of detail. For example, specific rules for the application of galvanic anodes
including the ban of zinc-based anodes are only available in Germany while several but not all countries prohibit
the use of antifouling or other toxic paints. Incompleteness and differences may also be related to a lack of information
 on substances and their environmental effects. To achieve harmonization and more efficient protection
of the marine environment, more data and minimum requirements on a regional level will be necessary, while at the
same time, innovation may not be hampered and design and techniques should be further optimized and adapted
based on latest available information.
Keywords Chemical emissions, Reagulations, Offshore wind farms, Environmental impact, North Sea

Offshore wind energy: chances and challenges
Climate change has led policymakers in several countries
 to make decisions favoring the energy transition
away from fossil fuels towards renewable energies.
Wind energy production, on land as well as offshore, has
increased significantly over the past two decades., It has
become one of the most important sectors in the energy
transition, securing the energy supply while phasing out
fossil fuels and thus contributing to mitigate climate
change. Between 2019 and 2023, the global offshore wind
energy capacity increased by 157% and an accelerated
increase is expected during the next decades [23].

*Correspondence:
simone Hasenbein
simone.hasenbein@bsh.de
Department of Marine Sciences, Federal Maritime and Hydrographic
Agency, Wüstland 2, 22589 Hamburg, Germany
Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, ILVO -
Marine, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29,
1000 Brussels, Belgium
* 9QOM West-Vlaanderen, Koning Leopold Ill-laan 66, 8200 Bruges, Belgium
3 Department of Climate and Environment, SINTEF Ocean
Thormehlensaate 55, 5006 Beraen, Norway

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