How Vattenfall and Samuel L. Jackson spotlight offshore wind with snacks

 This summer, Vattenfall and Samuel L. Jackson unveiled Wind Farmed Seaweed Snacks, a creative project designed to challenge perceptions of offshore wind farms. Instead of being seen solely as infrastructure for renewable power, the initiative illustrates how these sites can double as multi-use platforms, supporting both clean electricity generation and marine food cultivation.

 

The seaweed used in the snacks was grown at Vattenfall’s Vesterhav Syd wind farm in Denmark, where cultivation lines were suspended between turbines. While the turbines generate fossil-free electricity, the seaweed simultaneously absorbs carbon dioxide and excess nutrients, helping to regenerate the marine environment.

Though the snacks are not intended for commercial sale, a limited quantity was produced to spark public conversation about sustainable food and energy production. As Vattenfall puts it: “We created them as food for thought.”

Samuel L. Jackson, from marine biology student to environmental advocate

Samuel L. Jackson’s involvement goes beyond celebrity endorsement. Before becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, he studied marine biology. His passion for ocean life made this collaboration particularly personal.

“For me, it’s about the world we’re leaving behind for the next generation,” Jackson explained. “These offshore wind farms aren’t just producing fossil-free electricity, they also create a habitat for sea life to grow. That’s next-level thinking.”

With his global influence, Jackson helps amplify Vattenfall’s message that renewable energy infrastructure can and should coexist with nature.

The Wind Farmed Seaweed Snacks campaign underscores a broader point, the future of energy is not just about producing kilowatt-hours, but about designing systems that integrate with ecosystems and communities.

As Helle Herk-Hansen, Head of Environment at Vattenfall notes, “the Wind Farmed Seaweed Snacks demonstrate that our electricity infrastructure can work in coexistence with nature.”

 For Jackson, the project is a call to action. “A game-changer! That’s something worth spreading and getting people behind,” he says

Multi-use platforms for energy and food

The initiative forms part of Vattenfall’s WIN@sea project, which investigates how offshore wind farms can be adapted into multi-use platforms. By integrating food production and environmental monitoring into energy sites, the project aims to maximize marine space while improving ecosystem health.

Seaweed cultivation offers immediate benefits. It absorbs excess nutrients, helps fight water pollution, and provides a sustainable food source.

While Europe experiments with integrating food and energy, the United States is facing setbacks in offshore wind development. American President Donald Trump recently suspended new federal offshore wind leasing, criticizing turbines at the beginning of the year as “ugly, expensive, and harmful to wildlife.”

Projects already underway have been affected. The Danish group Ørsted was ordered to halt construction on a major offshore wind farm off the U.S. northeast coast, despite earlier federal approval. Similarly, the administration signaled plans to revoke approval for US Wind’s Maryland project, which had been expected to power over 700,000 homes.

One thing is certain, whether you are a critic or an advocate, wind turbines (and their composites parts) certainly get people talking…