As part of its push for renewable energy, European energy company Vattenfall is developing the Nordlicht project, which aims to harness wind power on an unprecedented scale. By 2028, Germany’s largest offshore wind farm will be built in the North Sea under this initiative, advancing Europe’s clean energy transition. But recently, a chilling discovery was made.
North Sea: Underwater Drones Discover Mines
Before construction of the huge offshore wind farm in the North Sea begins in 2026, the area was carefully inspected multiple times. Initially, geophysical surveys conducted two years ago detected magnetic anomalies on the seabed. Following that, remotely operated underwater drones scanned the area in greater detail this spring.
They discovered three naval mines from World War II, as Vattenfall reports. These relics are unexploded ordnance – live ammunition that hasn’t detonated but remains highly volatile and dangerous. Some of these mines pack an explosive force equivalent to 440 to 660 pounds of TNT, capable of causing massive destruction.
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Unexploded Ordnance Defused
After a complex approval process, the mines were safely disposed of in controlled on-site detonations this September. Importantly, a notable part of the operation involved the use of a 90-meter-long (around 295 feet) bubble curtain vessel. Specifically, this vessel laid a double ring of hoses on the seabed, creating a curtain of air bubbles. As a result, the bubble curtain dampened the sound of the explosion while protecting marine life in the North Sea from noise and stress.
Tobias Kulgemeyer, UXO expert at BA Wind and technical manager of the campaign, talked about the North Sea detonation and explained, “[A clearance] requires careful planning, coordination, and consideration for the marine environment. With the successful completion of this campaign, we have laid the foundation for the safe and sustainable construction of Nordlicht.”
Source: Vattenfall
This article was originally published on futurezone.de / 4P.de and has been carefully translated.