Webinars for Marine and Wind Energy and the Environment

The Tethys team has partnered with IEA Wind’s WREN Initiative to collect information, or metadata, on the environmental effects of offshore wind energy projects on marine animals, habitats, and ecosystem processes. By making this information available, Tethys and WREN aim to enhance transparency around environmental monitoring efforts to progress the global state of knowledge and advance the industry in an environmentally responsible manner.

The American Wind Wildlife Institute hosted the 17th WREN (Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy) webinar entitled, Experiences from conducting environmental research at land-based and offshore wind energy facilities. 

OES-E Environmental provided updates on progress to date and what's to come in the 2024 State of the Science report. OES-Environmental talked about the important role of coordinating and disseminating research on environmental effects of MRE and practical applications of OES-Environmental resources. Joe Haxel from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's (PNNL) Triton initiative and Doug Gillespie from the University of St. Andrew's Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) joined OES-Environmental to discuss their efforts to expand our understanding by highlighting examples from their research around two key stressor-receptor interactions - underwater noise and collision risk.

Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy (WREN) hosted a webinar on 29 June 2022 from 10:00-11:00am EDT (2:00-3:00pm UTC) to present the results of the WREN Horizon Scan. 

The webinar highlighted results of stakeholder feedback from 294 responses across 28 countries identifying environmental priorities related to land-based and offshore wind energy development. Panelists from several WREN member countries will provide their perspective on the assessment and priority research within the next 5-10 years.

Multiple presentations in December 2015 address technologies for bat detection and deterrence.

This webinar presents a summary of wind energy and wildlife interactions, including raptors, bats, and grouse.

This webinar featured an in-depth presentation on AWWI’s Eagle Mitigation and Conservation Toolbox, which includes modeling tools that advance the science needed to facilitate wind energy development while conserving eagles.

This webinar addressed the issue of reducing bat fatalities from land-based wind in the US and central Europe.

This webinar will cover The United States Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Real-time Opportunity for Development Environmental Observations (RODEO) study.

This webinar is the second of a two-part series covering research programs designed to understand the environmental impacts of offshore wind.

This webinar covers a manuscript produced by the WREN collaborative on individual to population impacts and WEST’s development of a quantitative assessment of the direct effects of wind energy on small passerines and diurnal raptors in North America.

The speakers will discuss smart curtailment from both the European and North American perspective.

The speakers will discuss reconstruction after decommissioning from both the offshore wind, land-based wind and adjacent industry perspectives.

This webinar will provide a first look at GenEst and how it can be used to estimate fatalities at wind facilities.

This webinar will discuss perspectives from both Europe, where wind energy development has existed since 1991, and North America, where development is relatively new, but with hopes of rapid expansion.

Raptor interactions with wind turbines are a concern for the wind energy and wildlife community. Raptors have relatively low reproductive rates and are often protected by local, national, and international laws. The webinar will share information regarding on-going research on raptor behaviour and physiology as it relates to interactions with wind turbines. The webinar is part of WREN’s priority activity to reduce uncertainty regarding risk for raptors at wind farms.

The presenters provide examples of research methodologies for the detection of animal populations in the vicinity of offshore wind farms, describe the technologies used to detect the animals, and, where available, discuss any existing mitigation measures or post installation/operation monitoring.

Wind farms can impact birds through collisions, barrier effects and displacement and habitat loss. Of these, collisions have attracted the most attention as the effects of direct mortality are considered to have the greatest potential to impact bird populations.

The speakers present on tools they have developed to assess the potential vulnerability of birds to wind energy development.

This webinar details monitoring tools and large-scale monitoring efforts related to offshore wind energy.

This webinar details techniques for monitoring bat activities offshore, in order to determine the impact that offshore wind may have on bat populations.

This webinar will discuss noise monitoring research and mitigation to help protect marine life from the impacts of wind energy development-related sounds produced during the building phases and types of foundations.

In an effort to ensure that potential offshore wind development protects the environment and addresses the concerns of coastal communities, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is conducting a multi-year aerial survey of wildlife in this area. This webinar will outline the planned scope of the survey project and provide insights in the technical aspects of image collection, processing, species identification and data presentation.

A recent review of Adaptive Management (AM) has clarified fundamental differences in the definition of AM, and its application to projects or planning processes. This webinar sets out to explore these experiences and suggest the possibility of a common definition and framework for AM that is capable of supporting the needs of wind energy development where there are potential conflicts with wildlife. It will examine how AM has been applied to wind energy development around the world, with a focus on examples from the US and UK.

This webinar has presentations on progress and updates from research presented at the 12th NWCC Wind Wildlife Research Meeting.

This webinar presents results from two research projects overseen by the NWCC Sage-Grouse Research Collaborative.

This webinar focuses on presenting initial results of the first year of data collection for two large-scale studies in the US that establish baseline data to aid in the siting and permitting of future projects.

As part of its mission to support the global deployment of wind energy through a better understanding of environmental issues, Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy (WREN) recently launched a new technology tool as a reference of available strategies for monitoring and mitigating the environmental effects of land-based and offshore wind energy development.

NREL researchers present how intricate considerations are integrated into modeling and analysis to estimate the possible future of wind energy in the United States, and the relationship this has with wildlife.

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) team hosted a series of free, public webinars that presented findings from the briefs and featured panel discussions with subject matter experts, followed by question-and-answer periods. The first webinar covered topics related to: Underwater Noise Effects on Marine Life Associated with Offshore Wind Farms and Risk to Marine Life from Marine Debris and Floating Offshore Wind Cable Systems.

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) team hosted a series of free, public webinars that presented findings from the briefs and featured panel discussions with subject matter experts, followed by question-and-answer periods. The second webinar covered topics related to: Introduction of New Offshore Wind Farm Structures: Effects on Fish Ecology and Benthic Disturbance from Foundations, Anchors, and Cable.

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) team hosted a series of free, public webinars that presented findings from the briefs and featured panel discussions with subject matter experts, followed by question-and-answer periods. The third webinar covered topics related to: Bat and Bird Interactions with Offshore Wind Energy. 

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) team hosted a series of free, public webinars that presented findings from the briefs and featured panel discussions with subject matter experts, followed by question-and-answer periods. The final webinar covered topics related to: Electromagnetic Field Effects on Marine Life & Presence of Vessels: Effects of Vessel Collision on Marine Life. 

Grouse are considered an umbrella species because of their close connection to the surrounding habitat. The prairies and sage-brush where grouse reside are disappearing as a result of many stressors, including invasive species, climate change, and human development. Thus, any new disturbance or loss of habitat can significantly impact the species. Proper siting of wind energy facilities can avoid potential impacts to the species or their habitat, but it is likely that compensation measures will be needed to ensure there is no net loss.

In some cases, alternatives to traditional compensation measures may provide significant conservation value. Examples include conservation actions that occur outside the region of the potential impact and funding research as a means of compensation. This webinar will explore outside-the-box ideas, examples of successful compensation alternatives, and situations in which innovative conservation actions may be necessary. Expert stakeholders will discuss the tradeoffs of implementing alternative compensation measures and when these may or may not be appropriate.

In this webinar Henrik Skov, with DHI, will discuss movement models within the New York Bight and explore the concept of movement models within the broader context of offshore wind.

In this webinar, Dr. Gregory S. Poulos, PHD (CEO and Principal Atmospheric Scientist ArcVera Renewables) discusses Offshore Wind Flow Modeling. Greg has developed detailed energy analysis for over 15,000-MW of operating wind since entering the technical-side of the renewable energy industry in 2007, and worked on over 35% of all installed wind energy projects in the US, and the first wind farms in several US states, and the countries El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.

In this webinar, Gordon Perkins and Kiva VanDerGeest with Environmental Design & Research will discuss the environmental factors that affect visibility of wind farms from shore and methods for modeling visual impacts. Gordon is one of the leading expert consultants in visualization and visual impact assessment in the Northeast and has 20 years of professional experience. Kiva has over six years of professional experience in planning, design, geographic information systems, and visual impact assessments.

In this webinar, Julia Robinson Willmott with Normandeau Associates will describe the technology behind digital aerial surveys and how they can inform offshore wind development. Julia works to design, test, and deploy innovative technology systems for remote monitoring of wildlife, and she has over 30 years of experience in 23 different countries assessing both offshore and onshore ecological impacts of anthropogenic and natural stressors on birds and other taxa.

In this webinar, Rebecca Karp and Andel Koester (Karp Strategies) will discuss stakeholder engagement and offshore wind. Karp Strategies has supported NYSERDA with the creation of a free, open source offshore wind curriculum aimed at teenagers and educators and developed the agency’s Guiding Principles for Stakeholder Engagement for developers; assessed the feasibility of port infrastructure for OSW; analyzed MWBE procurement in the supply chain in Maine; and supported Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind with their stakeholder engagement strategy.

In this webinar, Stacey Snow and Melanie Holtz, with Jacobs, discuss air quality compliance for offshore wind, including permitting requirements, pollutions controls, and environmental justice considerations.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers present preliminary results of two projects examining early-stage technologies aimed at minimizing the potential impacts of wind turbines on wildlife.

This webinar will showcase the content and resources available on Tethys, from a wind energy perspective.

La Agencia Internacional de Energía en su Tarea 34 de Energía Eólica (WREN, por sus siglas en Inglés)  organizará su 23º seminario web y su primer seminario web en español, “Energía eólica y vida silvestre: perspectivas desde América Latina”, el 10 de enero de 2024 de 11:00am-12:00 pm PST (7:00pm-8:00 pm UTC). El seminario web contará con ponentes de Argentina, Chile y México.

Vea el folleto en español aquí. 

Oradores: 

The goal of the Mid-Atlantic Baseline Studies (MABS) Project was to provide comprehensive baseline ecological data and associated predictive models and maps to regulators, developers, and other stakeholders for offshore wind energy.

NWCC held a webinar on two tools intended to help monitor, track, and document bat movements and populations across the continent.

Please join NYSERDA on Wednesday, April 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET for an offshore wind webinar as part of NYSERDA’s Learning from the Experts series. Bill Flynn from the Harris Beach law firm will discuss how Article VII of the New York State Public Service Law sets forth a review process for offshore wind projects seeking to deliver power to New York’s electricity grid. Bill, a former president of NYSERDA, is a partner at Harris Beach and is known for his experience in regulatory policies and legislation related to electricity, gas, water, cable television, and telecommunications services.

Please join NYSERDA on Wednesday, April 7 at 1:00 p.m. ET for an offshore wind webinar as part of NYSERDA’s Learning from the Experts series. Walt Musial with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will provide an introduction to offshore wind technologies. Walt is a Principal Engineer and leads the offshore wind research platform at NREL, which focuses on a wide range of industry needs and critical technology challenges.

Please join NYSERDA on Wednesday, February 9 at 1:00 p.m. ET for an offshore wind webinar as part of NYSERDA’s Learning from the Experts series. A panel of experts will be discussing considerations on nature based design enhancements for offshore wind farms. The panel includes Carl Lobe with The Nature Conservancy, Captain Dave Moni with No Fluke Fishing, Annie Murphy with Inspire Environmental Services, and Andrew Rella, with Eco-Concrete.

Please join NYSERDA on Wednesday, July 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET for an offshore wind webinar as part of NYSERDA’s Learning from the Experts series. Kris Ohleth with the Special Initiative on Offshore Wind will provide an overview of the roles of federal, state, and private entities in offshore wind stakeholder engagement and compare successful engagement approaches. Kris has worked in the offshore wind industry for over 15 years and has held senior positions with offshore wind developers, non-governmental organizations, and state agencies.