A brand new board game is out, and it’s called “The Dilemma Game: The Wind at Sea”! This game invites you to explore the fascinating world of multi-use at sea. Imagine combining fossil-free energy from wind farms with tasty seaweed and mussel farming. How cool is that?
In this game, you’ll also delve into the fun of sharing economies! Wind farm owners can team up with seaweed and mussel producers by sharing ships, equipment, and even important data about ocean currents and wave heights. It’s all about working together!
By bringing energy and food production closer together, players learn how we can save space in the ocean, helping to keep other beautiful marine areas untouched and protected. The goal of the game is to show that while multi-use at sea can lead to more sustainable energy and food production, it’s not always straightforward. Every choice you make has its consequences, and you’ll get to tackle different dilemmas and viewpoints along the way. Dive in and enjoy the adventure!
A brief Teacher’s Guide:
Denmark is surrounded by seas ideal for wind energy production, prompting politicians to support the establishment of more offshore wind farms to boost renewable energy. At the same time, there is a growing demand for healthy, low-carbon-footprint food sourced from the sea. However, the marine environment faces significant pressure from nutrient inflow, particularly due to agriculture. Cultivating seaweed and mussels can absorb these nutrients and convert them into sustainable food.
The question is: Can we effectively address fossil-free energy production, climate-friendly food production, and a healthy marine environment simultaneously?
This challenge is a focus in Denmark and the EU, where various projects explore multi-use practices at sea. Competition for marine areas is intense, with uses ranging from fisheries and shipping to energy production and nature conservation. Given the poor condition of Denmark’s marine environment, protection is essential. Yet, seaweed and mussel farming can help remove excess agricultural nutrients that harm the ecosystem.
Engaging Dilemmas
The game “Wind at Sea” teaches players about multi-use at sea, combining wind energy production with seaweed and mussel farming. It introduces a sharing economy, allowing users to share resources like ships and data, ultimately conserving space for other marine areas.
In “Wind at Sea,” players acquire marine areas suitable for wind and food production. Achieving control of all three elements in one area secures that space.
This educational game encourages discussion on real-world dilemmas and the complexities of marine spatial planning, climate change, and environmental health. While multi-use can enhance sustainability in energy and food production, it presents no easy solutions, as every decision has consequences.
About the WIN@sea and OLAMUR Projects:
The game was developed as part of two major research projects: WIN@sea (Wind Energy and Nature-based Solutions Integrated at Sea) and the EU-funded OLAMUR (Offshore Low-Trophic Aquaculture in Multi-use Scenario Realization in North and Baltic Seas).
Learn more about the game in the video: https://www.kattegatcentret.dk/forskning/algecenter-dk/win@sea-dilemmaspil/