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Changes in Flow

Water turbulence around a fixed structure
A device impeding or altering the flow of water or air.

Wind and marine renewable energy devices create electricity by capturing natural mechanical energy and converting it to electricity. By removing or altering this energy, the physical environment may change. Wind turbines can alter wind speeds, air circulation, and potentially nearfield atmospheric interactions. Marine renewable energy devices can change the flow of water and may affect water quality parameters including dissolved oxygen and nutrients, wave height, sediment transport, and eventually marine food webs and ecosystem processes. Changes in flow can be theoretically modeled, but are unlikely to occur until extremely large numbers of devices are deployed. Even then, the implications of these changes are not well understood.

For more information relevant to marine energy, check out the Changes in Oceanographic Systems Short Science Summary produced by OES-Environmental.

Photo Credit: Alex Nimmo Smith

Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Tethys is a knowledge hub that contains documents on the environmental effects of wind and marine energy. The table below contains all of the documents in the Tethys Knowledge Base associated with Changes in Flow.

Total: 682

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
The Annapolis Tidal Power Project Head Pond Water Levels - Impacts and Mitigations Rice, R. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow Physical Environment
Coastal processes and beach erosion Caldwell, J. Book Changes in Flow Physical Environment, Sediment Transport

Displaying 681 - 682 of 682 results