his webinar explored the local socio-economic impacts of offshore wind farms on local communities, and provided guidance to their better assessment and enhancement, drawing on OWF case studies from the UK North Sea coast. Offshore wind farms (OWF) are the flavour of the day as we transition to a more renewable energy future. The UK is a global leader; yet there is a concern that economic benefits are leaking out of the UK, and certainly out of the adjacent coastal and port communities, many of which are suffering greatly from the decline in traditional industries. OWF developments potentially offer major opportunities for better times for those communities, if those opportunities are grasped. Research from the IAU team at Oxford Brookes University has assessed the actual impacts in practice, and provided guidance on the under-assessed socio-economic implications and opportunities of the dynamic OWF industry. Funded by an award from the EU to the Swedish wind farm developer Vattenfall, the findings should be of value to key stakeholders, including OWF developers, consultants, local authorities and agencies and community groups.
