OranjeWind Project to Add 66 Artificial Reef Cubes in North Sea

RWE and TotalEnergies have signed an agreement with UK-based ARC Marine to supply 66 “reef cubes” for installation at the OranjeWind offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea. The initiative represents one of the largest artificial reef deployments at a European wind project.

The concrete reef cubes will be positioned around 11 turbine foundations once offshore construction is complete, following the start of foundation work in 2026. The companies said the goal is to enhance local marine biodiversity by creating new habitat within the wind farm area.

Each cube weighs nearly six tonnes, stands 1.5 meters tall, and is made from low-carbon recycled materials that include shell fragments designed to encourage native oyster colonization. In total, the installation will provide roughly 1,440 square meters of habitat surface. ARC Marine noted that the cubes have demonstrated strong stability and are simple to transport and deploy, and will remain in place for the full operational lifespan of the wind farm.

Previous trials in the North Sea revealed that a variety of species quickly established themselves on the reef structures, with cod and native oysters expected to be among the key beneficiaries at OranjeWind. The developers anticipate broader ecological improvements throughout the surrounding marine environment.

Tobias Keitel, CTO of RWE Offshore, said the project supports the company’s wider biodiversity strategy. Jean Gavalda, TotalEnergies’ offshore wind construction director, added that the deployment reflects the partners’ commitment to integrating ecological enhancements into major offshore developments.

ARC Marine CEO Tom Birbeck described the order as a shift from pilot testing to commercial-scale implementation of “nature-inclusive design,” calling it a significant milestone for the offshore wind industry.

The 795 MW OranjeWind project, located 53 km off the Dutch coast, is scheduled to begin offshore construction in 2026 and commence operations in early 2028. It will supply electricity to the equivalent of one million Dutch homes and includes investments in flexible demand technologies such as batteries, e-boilers and electrolysers.

Earlier this year, RWE installed approximately 75,000 reef cubes at its Rampion wind farm in the UK as part of another major biodiversity initiative.