This activity is based on the results of the targeted analysis project Maritime Spatial Planning and Land Sea Interactions (MSP-LSI) and has been commissioned by the ESPON EGTC for Luxembourg, as a member of the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC). It was conducted following a request of the Ministry of Energy and Spatial Planning  Luxembourg, in their role as a member of the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC). The focus of the analysis was to explore potential spatial tensions between the deployment of renewable sources of blue energy (energy derived from our seas and oceans), with a particular focus on offshore wind energy, and other (potential) utilisations of the European seas.

The results of this activity shall inspirate and support stakeholders of the NSEC to be better equipped for knowledge exchange and strategy development in this field of territorial development. The European Union has ambitious targets concerning offshore renewable energy generation. By 2030, there shall be an installed capacity of at least 60 GW of offshore wind and 1 GW of ocean energy which shall be further increased to reach 300 GW and 40 GW respectively by 2050 (European Commission, 2020).

The report below draws heavily on the key methods and findings from the MSP-LSI project with a view to performing a comparative analysis of the coverage of blue energy, particularly offshore wind energy within maritime spatial plans in Europe. A focus of the analysis was put on instruments for resolving spatial conflicts in the seas, that were mentioned in existing maritime spatial plans.