Europe’s Aging Wind Farms Face a Decommissioning Dilemma

To Remove or Not to Remove? The Debate Over Offshore Turbine Cleanup

The EU’s earliest wind farms are nearing their planned 20–30-year lifespans, forcing a reckoning with what comes next. Built in the early 2000s, these pioneering offshore projects now face decommissioning—a process complicated by environmental, economic, and legal uncertainties. Current regulations, including UNCLOS Article 60(3) and OSPAR Decision 98/3, demand full removal of seabed installations. But as the first turbines approach retirement, experts question whether partial removal could save costs, protect ecosystems, and minimize seabed disruption.

“The rules were written for oil rigs, not wind farms,” says one Dutch policymaker. “We need flexibility—but who assumes liability if we leave foundations behind?”

A Wageningen Marine Research study underscores the urgency of clearer regulations, warning that methods must adapt as societal priorities and ecological understanding evolve. Two Dutch wind farms—Egmond Aan Zee (slated for decommissioning by 2027) and Prinses Amalia (by 2028)—are test cases. Under national law, both must restore their seabeds to pre-construction conditions, a requirement some call impractical. Interviews with 19 stakeholders revealed stark divides: while some argue for removing infrastructure just 2–5 meters below the seabed (below legal 6-meter mandates), others insist on total extraction. Scour protection—the rock layers shielding turbine bases—is another flashpoint, with fishermen fearing debris and ecologists touting artificial reef benefits.

Ten decision-making criteria dominate the debate, spanning environmental (biodiversity impacts, habitat preservation), economic (decommissioning costs, recycling potential, fisheries access), and social factors (public recreation, political will). Liability remains the elephant in the room: who pays if a half-removed foundation damages ecosystems or shipping lanes? Five recommendations aim to untangle the mess: start planning a decade ahead, involve stakeholders early, quantify ecosystem services, clarify liability frameworks, and evaluate sites case-by-case. But legal reforms to permit partial decommissioning could take years—time these aging turbines don’t have.

As Europe’s green energy transition accelerates, its first wind farms face a paradoxical end: dismantling them might undermine the very sustainability goals they were built to achieve. The clock is ticking.