The seafloor footprint of offshore wind infrastructure in the United States Ocean

Journal Article

Title: The seafloor footprint of offshore wind infrastructure in the United States Ocean

Author:

Runde, B.; Paxton, A.

Publication Date:

October 28, 2025

Journal:

Discover Oceans

Volume:

Pages:

Publisher:

Springer Nature

Affiliation

The Nature Conservancy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Technology:

Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind

Stressor:

Habitat Change

Receptor:

Physical Environment

Language:

English

Document Access

Website:

External Link

Attachment:

Access File

Citation

APA
BibTex
RIS

Runde, B.; Paxton, A. (2025). The seafloor footprint of offshore wind infrastructure in the United States Ocean. Discover Oceans, 2, 5.

@article{Runde-2025-2085438,
author = {Runde, B and Paxton, A},
title = {The seafloor footprint of offshore wind infrastructure in the United States Ocean},
journal = {Discover Oceans},
year = {2025},
month = {oct},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
volume = {2},
pages = {5},
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44289-025-00097-y#citeas},
keywords = {Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Habitat Change, Physical Environment},
}

Export Citation to BibTex

TY - JOUR
TI - The seafloor footprint of offshore wind infrastructure in the United States Ocean
AU - Runde, B
AU - Paxton, A
T2 - Discover Oceans
AB - Increasing numbers of wind turbines are installed in the ocean, yet the total physical area or “footprint” of these structures remains unknown. We projected turbine footprints for U.S. ocean wind energy areas leased as of 2024. Calculations revealed turbines may occupy seafloor (18.20 km2; turbine foundations plus scour protection area) and water column (6.33 km2; vertical surface area underwater) footprints of similar magnitude to U.S. artificial reefs installed from 1899 to 2020.
DA - 2025/10//
PY - 2025
PB - Springer Nature
VL - 2
SP - 5
UR - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44289-025-00097-y#citeas
LA - English
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Fixed Offshore Wind
KW - Habitat Change
KW - Physical Environment
ER -

Export Citation to RIS

Abstract

Increasing numbers of wind turbines are installed in the ocean, yet the total physical area or “footprint” of these structures remains unknown. We projected turbine footprints for U.S. ocean wind energy areas leased as of 2024. Calculations revealed turbines may occupy seafloor (18.20 km²; turbine foundations plus scour protection area) and water column (6.33 km²; vertical surface area underwater) footprints of similar magnitude to U.S. artificial reefs installed from 1899 to 2020.