REFRAMING OFFSHORE SOLAR
Why a Net Impact Approach Matters for Offshore Solar
Guest Perspective by Brigitte Vlaswinkel - Head of Environment and Sustainability at Oceans of Energy
Beyond clean energy
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Offshore solar is often discussed primarily as a means for energy supply. That makes sense because it’s a new technology that can enable large additional renewable energy installations. But focusing only on energy supply gives an incomplete picture.
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At Oceans of Energy, we were looking for a way to better understand and communicate the broader environmental implications of offshore solar; not only possible risks, but also the potential benefits. Through Empaqtify, we found a partner that helped translate this ambition into a structured, decision relevant framework.
​​The Net Impact shift
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What became clear through this work is that assessing offshore solar through a Net Impact lens fundamentally changes how its value is understood. Not in isolation, but in the context where it is actually deployed, which is often within offshore wind farms, in designated multi use or energy areas. Together with Empaqtify, we explored the Net Impact of offshore solar in these contexts.
This allowed us to move beyond looking at individual impacts and instead understand the balance of effects. Equally important was the way the results were structured and communicated. The way Empaqtify framed and communicated the results, in alignment with the Ocean Impact Navigator and the Sustainable Development Goals, made it easier to connect the findings to existing frameworks.
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What stood out in this process was the ability to move beyond fragmented impact assessments towards a more integrated view. The outcome is clear: alongside potential risks, the benefits stand out.
A Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA) is a structured approach used to evaluate both ecological risks and ecological gains associated with a project, technology, or intervention. By structuring impacts across defined criteria and making uncertainty explicit, a NEBA provides a balanced and evidence-based foundation for regulatory review and investment decision-making.
Net impact profile of offshore solar. The chart compares ecological risks and benefits across key ecosystem domains (left) and species groups (right). Across all areas, benefits are equal to or exceed risks, indicating a positive overall interaction with marine ecosystems and supporting its role as ocean-positive infrastructure.
Expanding the case
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Until now, offshore solar has mainly attracted investors focused on energy infrastructure. What this work shows is that there is also a strong case from an ocean impact perspective.
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We see how this can open the door to more informed discussions about offshore solar with a broader group of investors, especially those looking to support solutions that deliver both clean energy and positive ocean outcomes. Because beyond the ecological benefits, offshore solar holds an immense and still largely untapped potential to generate clean energy at scale.
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We greatly appreciated working with Empaqtify on this analysis. It helped us quantify not only the risks, but also the opportunities, and hopefully invites a wider group of stakeholders to engage with what offshore solar can offer.
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08 April 2026 - Brigitte Vlaswinkel
Beyond Clean Energy - Offshore Solar as Blue Infrastructure: A Net Ocean Impact Assessment. Read the full report here.
​​From risk to outcome
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One example is reduced seabed disturbance, because fishermen cannot enter the sea space where our floating farm is located. This helps restore the often disturbed seabed. And at the same time, it can be beneficial for fishermen as reef-like habitats develop on the floating structures, which can function as fish nurseries and might have spilling over effects into neighboring marine areas.
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Looking at Net Impact helps to make better decisions. It shifts the conversation from “how do we avoid harm” to “how do we design for better outcomes”. This is especially relevant as offshore solar moves from pilots towards larger-scale deployment.
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It also helps bring different perspectives together. Engineers, ecologists, investors and regulators don’t always speak the same language. A Net Impact approach creates a more practical, shared way of assessing value, something we found particularly strong in the way Empaqtify framed and communicated the results.​​​