BEYOND

The BEYOND project aims to transform potential offshore wind farms (OWFs) in the Adriatic into catalysts for sustainable development in various sectors of the blue economy, going beyond their traditional role as mere energy producers. Focusing on specific Adriatic offshore hotspots, the project intends to analyze and identify optimal micro-locations for the installation of offshore wind farms, thus exploiting the potential of renewable energy and facilitating a green transition in Italy and Croatia.

Historically, OWFs have been designed primarily for power generation, often neglecting their impact on marine ecosystems. BEYOND introduces an innovative approach that integrates the conservation of marine ecosystems with the advancement of multiple sectors of the blue economy. Involving stakeholders from both countries in a quadruple helix model - including government, academia, industry and civil society - the partnership seeks to identify synergies between OWF and other blue economy sectors in an integrated system that prioritizes ecological health and economic benefits.

The initiative will focus on four pilot regions in the northern, central and southern Adriatic, where OWF systems will be modeled to improve synergy with blue economy sectors and support green hydrogen production. A key objective of BEYOND is the transition of maritime transport to green hydrogen, particularly in the Adriatic, an environmentally sensitive sea that offers substantial potential for future economic gains.

The role of OGS will be to conduct research on the state of the ecosystem and the combined production of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the pilot regions, also with data provided by the other project partners.

OGS will evaluate fishery and aquaculture data both under current ‘business as usual’ conditions, with the implementation of OWFs and with management alternatives of the different activities at sea. To carry out this activity, OGS will use ecosystem models to predict the future state of these sectors in an integrated manner and will evaluate different solutions from an ecological and economic point of view through a scenario analysis.

In addition, OGS will organise and contribute to two cross-border capacity building events with lectures and practical sessions. The courses and exchange of experiences are organised in Trieste and Rijeka with the joint commitment of OGS and the University of Rijeka and the participation of students/researchers from both countries.

INTERREG ITALY-CROATIA PROJECT

PRIORITY 1: ‘Sustainable growth in the blue economy’

COMPONENT 1.1 ‘BEYOND’

 

Project name

BEYOND - Blue Economy sYnergies fOr sustaiNable Development

 

Details

1 - Sustainable growth in the blue economy

SO 1.1 - Research and innovation

 

Total project investment

1.760.015,50 €

 

OGS investment

350.175,00 €

 

Partnership

IT - 4

HR - 4

 

Pilot regions

Counties of Istria and Split-Dalmatia in Croatia, regions Puglia and Veneto in Italy

 

Lead partner

IRENA - Istrian Regional Agency for Energy

 

Partners: 7

• IRENA - Istrian Regional Energy Agency Ltd
• National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS
• University of Rijeka - Faculty of Engineering
• Apulia Region
• Split-Dalmatia County
• T2I – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND INNOVATION S.C.A R.L.
• SINLOC SPA
• Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds