Oceanium Launches “Living with Wind Parks” Exhibit to Showcase Synergy of Offshore Wind and Marine Life

Oceanium Launches “Living with Wind Parks” Exhibit to Showcase Synergy of Offshore Wind and Marine Life

(IN BRIEF) Diergaarde Blijdorp’s Oceanium has opened “Living with Wind Parks,” an interactive exhibit developed with Ecowende to demonstrate how offshore wind infrastructure can support North Sea ecosystems. Featuring aquaria that simulate turbine bases as artificial reefs and tree-reef nurseries for marine creatures, the display also addresses wildlife protection with radar-triggered turbine controls. Opened by Blijdorp’s Kids Panel, the exhibit combines hands-on games and an app-guided expedition to engage visitors in understanding the synergy between renewable energy and biodiversity restoration.

(PRESS RELEASE) ROTTERDAM, 8-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Diergaarde Blijdorp has unveiled “Living with Wind Parks,” a captivating new Oceanium exhibit that immerses visitors in the dynamic interplay between North Sea biodiversity and offshore wind energy. Officially opened last weekend by Blijdorp’s Kids Panel alongside senior representatives from both Blijdorp and Ecowende, the installation invites guests to journey beneath the waves and among towering turbines to discover how renewable power and marine ecosystems can flourish together.

In partnership with Ecowende—developers of a nature-inclusive offshore wind farm 50 km off IJmuiden—Blijdorp showcases real-world eco-innovations under the banner Teaming up with Nature. Through detailed aquaria and interactive experiences, guests witness how turbine foundations become artificial reefs, tree trunks transform into egg-laying nurseries for rays and squid, and rock coverings shelter anemones, starfish, and crabs. The display also highlights measures to protect birds and bats above water, such as radar-triggered blade shutdown systems.

“By collaborating with Ecowende, we’re turning our vision for a Sustainable North Sea into a hands-on learning adventure,” says Jeroen Kappelhof, Director of Conservation & Science at Blijdorp. “Visitors can see how offshore wind farms, when designed with nature in mind, can actually restore habitats and deepen species diversity.”

Folkert Visser, project director at Ecowende, adds: “This exhibit marks our public debut—until now, our insights and lessons have remained within industry circles. Now everyone can explore our eco-solutions and understand the positive ecological impact we aim to achieve in the North Sea.”

Interactive elements include a radar-based game where players balance energy generation against bird safety, and an app-led expedition that extends the learning beyond the zoo grounds. Through play and discovery, “Living with Wind Parks” educates both young and old on the delicate equilibrium between clean energy and thriving marine life.

Media Contact:

Marnix Heijboer
Spokesperson
marnix.heijboer@eneco.com
Tel: +31 65157 9851

SOURCE: Eneco