News
11.05.2010: The „OECOS-MarschZEISSige“ team successful at the national Birdrace
A bird-watching group sponsored by OECOS GmbH and Carl Zeiss Sport Optics GmbH was one of the 135 teams taking part all over the country on the 8th May 2010 in this year’s „Birdrace“. The „OECOS-MarschZEISSige“ team, which consisted of birdwatchers from the NABU Hamburg (a local nature protection charity), from the „Arbeitskreis der Staatlichen Vogelschutzwarte” Hamburg (a local bird watching society) and from OECOS GmbH, started the race in the county of Pinneberg. The aim of the “Birdrace“ was to observe or hear as many bird species as possible in 24 hours.
A total of 272 bird species were discovered around the country during this contest, which was organised by the Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten (the German ornithologists union). The "OECOS-MarschZEISSige" team, which covered a distance of 70 km by bike through the county of Pinneberg, discovered 132 species and came 20th in the total ranking. In the ranking of the “green” teams – the teams using environmentally friendly transport -, the OECOS-MarschZEISSige team came 4th.
With their involvement, the „OECOS-MarschZEISSige“ team was able to collect more than just bird data. There was indeed a quite altruistic reason to obtain a long list of species: for every bird species the team discovered, OECOS GmbH and Carl Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH donated 1.50 € as a contribution to the development of the „ornitho.de“ internet portal, with the help of which information is collected on a national level concerning the diversity of the native bird life.
Further information:
20.10.2009: Ecological impacts of 380 kV and HVDC underground lines – Research in the context of a R&D project of the Federal Environment Ministry
OECOS GmbH was commissioned as a sub-contractor by the Energieforschungszentrum Niedersachsen (Energy Research Centre of Lower Saxony) for the R&D project of the Federal Environment Ministry concerning the ecological impacts of 380 kV and HVDC underground lines.
The aim of this project is to highlight and evaluate, in terms of nature, landscape and environment protection, the different technical alternatives for the construction of the high voltage network used to transfer the current from wind energy and other renewable energy sources, mostly offshore wind power from 380 kV three-phase current transmission and high-voltage direct current transmission.
Background principles will thus be compiled and evaluated for the decision process relative to the construction of the concerned sections. The main goal is to develop criteria which will allow the evaluation of the possible impacts of overhead and underground lines on nature, landscape and environment, on the basis of a comparison between different circuit construction techniques (380 kV three-phase current technology or high-voltage direct current as underground line or overhead line). A cost approach will close the comparison.
The project is divided into the following two sections:
- The analysis and suggestions relative to the completion of the network construction on the basis of 380 kV technology in a nature, environment and landscape friendly way : a) For the 4 pilot sites of the law for the construction of the energy circuit (EnLAG); b) Advice for other relevant natural landscapes in Germany in relation to this law.
- The analysis of the ecological impacts and corresponding suggestions for the deployment of HVDC transmission technology.
This project does not concern the detailed analysis of the environmental impacts of the pilot sites of the EnLAG, as would be necessary in the context of an impact assessment. The goal of this general representation of the main impact correlations is more to contribute to the rationalisation of the discussion concerning the environmental impacts of the network construction in Germany, which is often conducted in an ideological manner, and to prepare a reproducible evaluation basis for the choice of adapted circuit technology.
“Integrated management of coastal zones” project relative to wind energy repowering successfully initiated
On the 11th May 2009, the third round table conference relating to the theme “Repowering of wind energy facilities for non-privileged installations” took place at Strübbel, in the county of Dithmarschen (Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein). OECOS GmbH had organised this event in the framework of the R&D project „Integrated management of coastal zones: economic and efficient surface utilisation in the German coastal area” promoted by the Federal Environment Agency. The 30 participants represented operators of existing installations, county and region planning, local politics (several mayors and local representatives), nature conservation (NABU) and research. This meeting finalised a series of „round tables“, which was organised by OECOS GmbH for the initialisation of a IKZM action with the main goal of improving the landscape by removing isolated wind energy installations. As a result of this action, the „Repowering Nord-West Dithmarschen e. V.“ union was established and has taken over the initiative. This union will therefore continue to moderate the discussion process.
„Wind power as a central element of the coast” - Prof. Runge comments on the impact evaluation of wind power installations in the journal “neue energie”
"Do wind turbines disturb the landscape? Experts from different fields of activity are concerned about this issue. However, their empirical analyses reveal that turbines have gained acceptance amongst the public and that, for many, they have been belonging to the modern cultural landscape for a long time”. This is how the article “New cultural landscapes” by Bernhard Janzing begins in the current issue (05/09) of the journal "neue energie"
In this article, Prof. Karsten Runge comments on the landscape evaluation of onshore and offshore wind power.
Developing and ensuring the environmental compatibility of climate change adaptation measures
- Analysis for the BMBF joint research project “KLIMZUG Nord" -
In the process of developing adaptation measures to climate change, their environmental compatibility should be considered as early as possible. In the context of the perennial BMBF joint research project "KLIMZUG Nord", which started in April 2009, Associate Professor Dr Karsten Runge of the institute for environmental strategies of the LEUPHANA University of Lüneburg has been developing nature conservation forecasts, assessments and model concepts in different sectors.
The main issues of this project are the nature conservation forecasts and assessments of the following points:
- The strategic adaptation measures developed in the context of estuary management, mainly the environmental assessment of the adaptation measures derived from coastal protection and port industry. Following this, suggestions will be made to adjust the nature protection regulations with regard to climate change, especially the FFH impact assessment and the strategic impact assessment.
- The impact of climate change adaptation measures on public green areas and urban biotopes. After this, follows the development of suggestions relating to the adjustment of urban nature conservation regulations to climate change, mainly the environmental impact assessment, green structure planning and landscape planning. Examples will be prepared for the landscape axis of the Hamburg landscape program.
- The impact of the climate change adaptation measures on ecological elements of the cultural landscape. This serves amongst other things as an exemplary development of planning and assessment tools based on GIS-supported scenarios in the Ostheide region. A special emphasis will be given to the assessment of nature deterioration through different scenarios of energy plant cultivation. The aim of this forecast and assessment is the development of suggestions to adjust nature conservation regulations, particularly the environmental impact assessment, the impact regulation following the nature conservation enactment and landscape planning according to climate change.
With regard to the above topics it is necessary to develop tools to forecast the scope and range of deterioration as reliably as possible in order to conduct suitable mitigation measures. Furthermore regulations for the arrangement of compensation measures have to be developed.