Decompass | Decommissioning compass for offshore wind

Supporting sustainable end-of-life strategies in offshore wind

As thousands of offshore wind turbines across Europe approach the end of their operational lifespan, the need for sustainable decommissioning strategies becomes urgent. Decompass addresses this challenge by developing an integrated decision-making tool to guide policymakers, industry, and researchers toward the most sustainable and efficient decommissioning pathways. 
 

Target group

This project is primarily aimed at:

• Offshore wind farm operators and developers
• Public authorities and regulators in energy and marine sectors
• Port operators and logistics providers
• Researchers in circular economy, marine ecology, and lifecycle analysis
• Environmental and marine stakeholders

Context

Europe’s offshore wind sector is entering a new phase as more turbines reach their 25-year lifespan. By 2030, an estimated 1800 turbines will need to be dismantled, making sustainable decommissioning urgent and essential.

Current dismantling practices remain fragmented and lack long-term sustainability focus. There is a need for well-informed, cross-sectoral decommissioning models that integrate technical, environmental, political, and socio-economic dimensions. 

Drawing from government, industry, academia, and civil society (quadruple helix), Decompass fosters collaboration that ensures the developed tools and insights are relevant, practical, and broadly supported. Through the active involvement of stakeholders, the project promotes knowledge exchange, co-creation of solutions, and the development of a supportive policy framework to guide sustainable offshore wind decommissioning.

Objectives & results

Decompass aims to deliver a quantitative, multidisciplinary platform that supports sustainable decommissioning of offshore wind farms.
Project objectives include:

• Develop a decision-making tool, the “Decommissioning Compass”, integrating economic, environmental, technical, and policy insights
• Evaluate and improve decommissioning technologies with minimal marine impact
• Map port capacity and infrastructure needs for large-scale dismantling
• Model circular material flows and recycling options
• Assess the ecological impacts on marine ecosystems

Key results:

• A working digital platform comparing multiple decommissioning scenarios
• Practical guidance on circular decommissioning and reuse of rare materials
• Ecological impact models linked to dismantling strategies
• Actionable recommendations for governments and industrial stakeholders
   

Approach

Decompass is structured around four research pillars:

1. Advanced decommissioning techniques
   Assessment of technically feasible and environmentally responsible removal methods for offshore structures. Scenarios are compared based on safety, cost, operational complexity, and marine impact.
2. Logistics & spatial planning
   Evaluation of port capacity and infrastructure needs to support large-scale dismantling. Identification of bottlenecks and optimisation strategies for transport, storage, and processing flows.
3. Circular economy & life cycle analysis (LCA)
   Analysis of material flows through LCA. Comparison of recycling, reuse, and recovery options, with a focus on critical raw materials and waste reduction.
4. Marine ecology modelling
   Modelling of ecosystem impacts linked to different dismantling strategies. Assessment of biodiversity effects and long-term marine consequences.

Sirris leads the development of the integrated evaluation platform that consolidates findings from all pillars and enables scenario comparisons based on technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact.

Funding

• Funding partner: Flemish Government

External links

• Project partners: POM West-Vlaanderen, knowledge institutes and industry partners from across Flanders