Tenders Are Invited For Research And Development Services And Related Consultancy Services – Assessment Of Strategic Stakeholder Needs, Environmental Conflicts, And Acceleration Potentials In Energy Network Planning And Implementation To Safeguard The Wadden Sea World Heritage Site

Research And Development Services And Related Consultancy Services – Assessment Of Strategic Stakeholder Needs, Environmental Conflicts, And Acceleration Potentials In Energy Network Planning And Implementation To Safeguard The Wadden Sea World Heritage Site. Scope And Tasks - The Geographic Scope Of The Work Covers The Wadden Sea World Heritage Site And Includes Both Existing And Planned Infrastructure Across The Three States With The Focus On The Territorial Waters. Relevant Examples And Best Practices From Other North Sea Countries, As Well As From Global Contexts, Should Also Be Considered Where Informative. The Technological Scope Focuses Primarily On High-Voltage Direct Current (Hvdc) Infrastructure Crossing And Landing Within The World Heritage Site, As Well As On The Limited Cases In Which High-Voltage Alternating Current (Hvac) Infrastructure Is Expected To Cross The Area. Natural Gas Pipeline Development, Which Has Played A Significant Historical Role, May Be Considered Where It Provides Informative Context. In Addition, Hydrogen/Ccs Pipelines, Currently At Earlier Stages Of Planning, Are Also Relevant To This Assessment. The Project Phase Scope Includes The Planning And Permitting Phases As Well As Implementation, Maintenance, And Decommissioning. The Work Will Be Completed In 3 Phases: 1. Data Collection Phase Questionnaire - Needs Assessment And Mapping Of Strategic Stakeholders - The Consultant Shall Conduct A Targeted Needs Assessment Through Structured Verbal Interviews, Guided By A Written Questionnaire. The Objective Is To Identify Key Conflicts, Practical Barriers, Bottlenecks And Risks Affecting Planning, Permitting, Implementation, And Maintenance Of Energy Infrastructure Near And Below The Transboundary Wadden Sea World Heritage Site And Across The Diverse Wadden Sea Countries Procedures. Examples Could Include Environmental Risks And Uncertainties, Institutional Capacity Bottlenecks, Cross-Border Coordination Challenges, Stakeholder Conflicts, And Gaps Between Formal Procedures And Real-World Practice. Desktop Study - Map In Detail The Planning And Permitting Processes For The Wadden Sea Countries - The Consultant Shall Map Planning, Permitting, And Governance Processes For High-Voltage Cables As Well As Gas-, H2- And Ccs Pipelines Crossing The Wadden Sea World Heritage Area In Each Wadden Sea Country, As Well As The Three German Wadden Sea Federal States Jurisdictions. Outputs Shall Be Clear, Comparable, And Presented In Accessible Formats (E.G. Flow Charts, Tables). Deliver A Workshop - To Promote Discussion, Get Feedback And Gain Further Insights Into The Data Collected, The Consultant Will Host A One-Day Workshop With Approximately 25 Participants Which Will Complement The Research. The Workshop Will Be Developed In Collaboration With The Twsc. 2. Analysis Phase Based On The Data Collected In Phase 1, The Consultant Shall Undertake A Structured Comparative Analysis. The Analysis Shall (But Not Limited To): - Compare Permitting And Planning Processes Across The Three Wadden Sea Countries As Well As The Three Wadden Sea German Federal States, Highlighting Key Similarities And Differences, - Identify And Categorise Key Conflicts, Practical Barriers, Bottlenecks And