Workshop in Cuxhaven: Focus on the Social Dimensions of Offshore Expansion

On June 25, 2026, the 70 GW Offshore Wind living lab and the Lüneburg and Weser-Ems Regional Development Offices will host a joint workshop at Cuxhaven City Hall. The workshop will focus on initial findings from the living lab’s social science subprojects, as well as a joint discussion with regional stakeholders on challenges and potential solutions.

Expanding offshore wind energy to 70 gigawatts by 2045 is not merely a technical and environmental challenge—it has far-reaching social implications and consequences for coastal regions. In Innovation Area I of the living lab, researchers from the Göttingen Institute for Sociological Research (SOFI), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, the Helmholtz Center Hereon, and the Fraunhofer IWES are investigating the opportunities and potential conflicts that this expansion brings for local communities and regional economies, how appropriate participatory processes can be designed, and how the expansion targets should be evaluated under various techno-economic scenarios.

The workshop offers an opportunity to discuss these issues with representatives from government agencies, local governments, and civil society. The findings will be incorporated into the ongoing research process.

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026, 2:00–6:00 p.m.
Location: Cuxhaven City Hall, Cuxhaven Hall (old building, 1st floor), Rathausplatz 1
Registration by June 15, 2026: events.gwdg.de/event/1448