EMF

Physical fields generated by electrically charged objects.

Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are physical fields that consists of both electric and magnetic components and are generated by electrically charged objects. In the case of wind energy and marine renewable energy devices, EMF may be generated around dynamic devices, substations, and most commonly, transmission cables. The distance over which EMF persist is typically dependent on the strength of the electrical charge, characteristics of the surrounding environment, and characteristics of the cable or device. For example, electric fields can typically be contained by burial of or shielding within a subsea transmission cable; however, magnetic fields are not as easily contained.

Marine organisms at high risk of EMF impacts are typically electro- and/or magneto-sensitive organisms such as elasmobranchs (i.e. sharks, skates, rays), some fish species (e.g. eels, sturgeon), sea turtles, and benthic invertebrates. Some of these organisms use Earth’s naturally occurring geomagnetic fields for navigation, orientation and predation. Thus, the addition of anthropogenic EMF may alter organisms’ movement, migration, and foraging behavior. High intensity EMF may additionally affect organisms’ developmental physiology. Current levels of EMF emitted from offshore wind and marine renewable energy devices have not yet reached high intensities, however, as the offshore energy industry expands, greater levels of EMF may result in additional effects on the marine environment.

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

For more information relevant to offshore wind energy, check out the Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Effects on Marine Life research brief produced by SEER.

Photo Credit: ABB

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 EMF.

Total: 388

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Improving Understanding of Environmental Effects from Single MRE Devices to Arrays Hasselman, D., Hemery, L., Copping, A. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise
2023 Sunrise Wind Export Cable Acoustic Telemetry Study Peterson, B., Cahill, B., Scannell, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Invertebrates
Supporting National Environmental Policy Act Documentation for Offshore Wind Energy Development Related to Electromagnetic Frequencies from Buried Transmission Cables Middleton, P., Barnhart, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Invertebrates, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions
NextWind: Advancing Wind Energy Technology Using Real-Time Monitoring Systems in a Digital Twin Application Siddiqi, K., Kramer, S., Schneider, S. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Environmental Effects Monitoring Program Annual Report 2023 Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) Marine Energy, Tidal Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Static magnetic fields reduce swimming activity of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) larvae Cresci, A., Durif, C., Larsen, T. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish
‘Scaling up’ our understanding of environmental effects of marine renewable energy development from single devices to large-scale commercial arrays Hasselman, D., Hemery, L., Copping, A. Journal Article Marine Energy Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise
Red rock crab (Cancer productus) movement is not influenced by electromagnetic fields produced by a submarine power transmission cable Williams, J., Jaco, E., Scholz, Z. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Invertebrates
Effects of anthropogenic magnetic fields on the behavior of a major predator of the intertidal and subtidal zones, the velvet crab Necora puber Albert, L., Olivier, F., Jolivet, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Invertebrates
Towards understanding environmental and cumulative impacts of floating wind farms: Lessons learned from the fixed-bottom offshore wind farms Rezaei, F., Contestabile, P, Vicinanza, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, EMF Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates
Effect of electromagnetic fields from renewable energy subsea power cables on righting reflex and physiological response of coastal invertebrates Chapman, E., Rochas, C., Piper, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Invertebrates
Maritime Spatial Planning in Europe: Discussion Paper on the Challenges and Potential Opportunities Around the Colocation of Offshore Wind Energy with Marine Protected Areas Stephenson, P. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Offshore wind project-level monitoring in the Northeast U.S. continental shelf ecosystem: evaluating the potential to mitigate impacts to long-term scientific surveys Methratta, E., Lipsky, A., Boucher, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change Fish, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Introducing energy into marine environments: A lab-scale static magnetic field submarine cable simulation and its effects on sperm and larval development on a reef forming serpulid Oliva, M., De Marchi, L., Cuccaro, A. Journal Article EMF Invertebrates
Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) from subsea power cables in the natural marine environment Gill, A., Hutchison, Z., Desender, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF
Recording the Magnetic Field Produced by an Undersea Energy Generating Device: A Low-Cost Alternative Luna, V., Silva, R., Mendoza, M. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF Marine Mammals
EDEN 2000: Exploring Options For A Nature-Proof Development of Offshore Wind Farms Inside A Natura 2000 Area Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Vanaverbeke, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
What are the potential effects of the electromagnetic fields produced by offshore wind farm power cables on marine organisms? Henry, S., Carlier, A., Chauvaud, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Invertebrates
Offshore Electric and Magnetic Field Assessment Exponent Inc. Report Wind Energy EMF Fish, Marine Mammals
Maryland Offshore Wind Project: Onshore Magnetic-Field Assessment Exponent Inc. Report Wind Energy EMF
Magnetic Field Limit and Potential Impact of Offshore Wind Farm Submarine Cables in Ecosystems Li, X., Chen, J., Zhan, H. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF Fish
SafeWave Deliverable 2.2 Monitoring of Electromagnetic fields Imperadore, A., Amaral, L., Tanguy, F. Report Marine Energy, Wave EMF
European offshore renewable energy, towards a sustainable future Soukissian, T., O’Hagan, A-M., Azzellino, A. Report Marine Energy, Ocean Current, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data
Evaluation of the Effects of Electrical Stimulation: A Pilot Experiment on the Marine Benthic Foraminiferal Species Amphistegina lessonii Rebecchi, F., Lattanzi, D., Abramovich, S. Journal Article EMF Invertebrates
Revolution Wind COP Appendix Q1: Offshore Electric- and Magnetic- Field Assessment Exponent Inc. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions
5th ScotMER Symposium: Energy Emissions Marine Scotland Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Noise
Magnetic fields generated by submarine power cables have a negligible effect on the swimming behavior of Atlantic lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) juveniles Durif, C., Nyqvist, D., Taormina, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Fish, Pelagic Fish
Insights from the management of offshore energy resources: Toward an ecosystem-services based management approach for deep-ocean industries Bravo, M., Brandt, M., van der Grient, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Social & Economic Data
Biological Effects of Electric, Magnetic, and Electromagnetic Fields from 0 to 100 MHz on Fauna and Flora: Workshop Report Pophof, B., Henschenmacher, B., Kattnig, D. Journal Article Wind Energy EMF Birds, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Environmental Effects Monitoring Program Annual Report 2022 Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) Report Marine Energy, Tidal Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Literature Review on Barrier Effects, Ghost Fishing, and Electromagnetic Fields for Floating Windfarms Williamson, L. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Displacement, EMF, Entanglement Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
2022 Annual Report: Sunrise Wind Telemetry Project Sclafani, M., Cerrato, R., Bopp, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Invertebrates
Clean Energy from the Ocean: Measuring the Environmental Footprint of Devices Rose, D., Gunn, C., Hemery, L. Magazine Article Marine Energy Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Environmental Effects of U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Development: Compilation of Educational Research Briefs Green, R., Hein, C., Oteri, F. Summary Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles
Current state of knowledge Electromagnetic fields: Electromagnetic fields and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Descriptor 11 Energy Hermans, A., Schilt, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Powering Healthy Seas: Accelerating Nature Positive Offshore Wind Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Magnetic fields produced by subsea high-voltage direct current cables reduce swimming activity of haddock larvae (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) Cresci, A., Durif, C., Larsen, T. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix J2: Onshore EMF Assessment Exponent Engineering P.C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix J1: Offshore EMF Assessment Exponent Engineering P.C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles
Environmental Impact Assessment and Life Cycle Assessment for a Deep Water Floating Offshore Wind Turbine on the Brazilian Continental Shelf de Paula, L., Carmo, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment
Displaying 81 - 120 of 388 results