Southampton secures major grant to advance sustainable offshore wind planning in the Greater North Sea

The University of Southampton has been awarded 8.3 million DKK (970,300 GBP) from the VELUX FOUNDATION to lead a landmark international research project, Decision Support Tools for Spatial Planning and Cumulative Effects Assessment of Offshore Wind in the Greater North Sea.

This major grant recognises Southampton’s growing strength in marine, coastal, and offshore systems research and marks a significant success for project lead Dr Hugo Putuhena and the team.

The four‑year programme (January 2026–December 2029) will generate vital new knowledge about how offshore wind interacts with other human activities and the marine environment. As offshore wind expands at unprecedented speed, decision‑makers increasingly need tools that help balance energy development with fishing, shipping, biodiversity, and coastal community interests. This project aims to provide exactly that.

Working alongside Hugo is a strong interdisciplinary team of co‑investigators from across the University of Southampton: Dr Alexandra Karamitrou , Dr Sien Van Der Plank , Professor Jasmin Godbold , Professor David White and SMMI Director, Professor Fraser Sturt . The team covers expertise in Spatial analysis, Archaeology, Human Geography, Marine Biology and Ecology, and Engineering.

Hugo, Alexandra, and Sien also serve as champions of two of the SMMI Special Interest Groups for Digital Oceans and Coastal Communities, helping to shape the Institute’s strategic research activities in these areas.

The team will assess how offshore wind development affects other marine activities, the seabed, and wider ecosystems, while developing new tools that can help governments and industry plan responsibly. The project will bring together existing data, apply artificial intelligence to fill key evidence gaps, and produce new digital maps, models, and an open decision‑support tool to guide future ocean planning across the Greater North Sea.

"With the project, we will conduct a thorough assessment of how offshore wind impacts other human activities, the seabed and ecosystems” says Hugo. “The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the overall consequences. At the same time, we will develop new decision support tools that provide unprecedented insights into the cumulative effects of offshore wind development in the North Sea,"

The project will be delivered in collaboration with research groups, authorities, industry partners, and coastal communities across the region, ensuring the outcomes support a more holistic, evidence‑based approach to offshore wind expansion.

Learn more about the wider programme via the VELUX FOUNDATION announcement .