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
Environmental Effects Monitoring Report 2011-2013 Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) Report Marine Energy, Tidal EMF, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
PMEC-NETS Annual Operations and Monitoring Report 2013 Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC) Report Marine Energy, Wave EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
MaRVEN Research Study - Noise, Vibrations and Electromagnetic Emissions Thomsen, F. Research Study Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave EMF, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles
Fairhead Tidal Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Document McGrath, C. Report Marine Energy, Tidal EMF, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Analysis of Marine Ecology Monitoring Plan Data from the Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm, Scotland (Operational Year 3): Chapter 1-Introduction and Executive Summary Walls, R., Pendlebury, C., Lancaster, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Displacement, EMF Birds, Fish
Planning Scotland's Seas: SEA of Plans for Wind, Wave and Tidal Power in Scottish Marine Waters Environmental Report APS Group Scotland Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts
Impacts of OWF installations on fisheries: A Literature Review Bat, L., Sezgin, M., Sahin, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy
Effects of an Electric Field on White Sharks: In Situ Testing of an Electric Deterrent Huveneers, C., Rogers, P., Semmens, J. Journal Article EMF Fish, Pelagic Fish
Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on Fish and Invertebrates - FY2012 Progress Report Woodruff, D., Cullinan, V., Copping, A. Report Marine Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Behavioral Responses of Representative Freshwater Fish Species to Electromagnetic Fields Bevelhimer, M., Cada, G., Fortner, A. Journal Article EMF Fish, Demersal Fish
Bioelectric Fields of Marine Organisms: Voltage and Frequency Contributions to Detectability by Electroreceptive Predators Bedore, C., Kajiura, S. Journal Article EMF Fish, Invertebrates
EPRI Workshop on EMF and Aquatic Life Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Workshop Article Marine Energy EMF Ecosystem Processes
Evidence for Geomagnetic Imprinting as a Homing Mechanism in Pacific Salmon Putman, N., Lohmann, K., Putman, E. Journal Article EMF Fish, Pelagic Fish
Electromagnetic Simulation of the Near-Field Distribution around a Wind Farm Ling, H., Yang, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF
Survival of the Stillest: Predator Avoidance in Shark Embryos Kempster, R., Hart, N., Collin, S. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish
Will Ocean Energy Harm Marine Ecosystems? Hammar, L. Research Study Marine Energy, Ocean Current, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Building Capacity for Marine Hydrokinetic Energy: Atlas of Potential Synergistic and Conflicting Environmental, Ecological, and Human Use Considerations Dubbs, L., Voss, C., Von Korff, B. Report Marine Energy, Ocean Current, Tidal, Wave Chemicals, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Human Dimensions
Potential Interactions between Diadromous Fishes of U.K. Conservation Importance and the Electromagnetic Fields and Subsea Noise from Marine Renewable Energy Developments Gill, A., Bartlett, M., Thomsen, F. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish
Electromagnetic Fields Emitted by High Voltage Alternating Current Offshore Wind Power Cables and Interactions with Marine Organisms Gill, A., Huang, Y., Spencer, J. Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF
Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on Fish and Invertebrates Task 2.1.3: Effects on Aquatic Organisms Fiscal Year 2011 Progress Report Woodruff, D., Schultz, I., Marshall, K. Report Marine Energy EMF Fish, Invertebrates
Annual environmental report 2011 – Belwind phase 1 Belwind Report Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Statement Section 10: Wind Farm Benthic Ecology Arcus Consultancy Services Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Statement Section 11: Wind Farm Fish and Shellfish Ecology Arcus Consultancy Services Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Wind Energy Plants and Possible Effects on Samandağ Sea Turtles Yalçın-Özdilek, S., Yalçın, S. Magazine Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Simulating Transoceanic Migrations of Young Loggerhead Sea Turtles: Merging Magnetic Navigation Behavior with an Ocean Circulation Model Putman, N., Verley, P., Shay, T. Journal Article EMF Reptiles, Sea Turtles
The Interaction of Pelagic, Migratory and Protected Fishes with Marine Renewable Energy Projects: Recent Studies and Knowledge Gaps Nelson, P. Presentation Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, EMF, Habitat Change Fish, Pelagic Fish
Environmental Impact Assessment of the Danish Wave Energy Center Margheritini, L., Azzellino, A. Research Study Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow, EMF, Noise Birds, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Effects on Freshwater Organisms of Magnetic Fields Associated with Hydrokinetic Turbines Cada, G., Bevelhimer, M., Riemer, K. Report Riverine, Marine Energy EMF Invertebrates, Fish
Field Scale Experiments to Assess the Effects of Offshore Wind Farms on Marine Organisms Gill, A., Mueller-Blenkle, C., McGregor, P. Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Noise Fish
Effects of EMFs from Undersea Power Cables on Elasmobranchs and other Marine Species Normandeau Associates Inc, Exponent Inc., Tricas, T. Report EMF Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Annual environmental report 2010 - Belwind phase 1 Belwind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Navigation
Coastal Marine Animal Surveys Kajiura, S. Research Study Marine Energy EMF, Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Reptiles
The ability of a benthic elasmobranch to discriminate between biological and artificial electric fields Kimber, J., Sims, D., Bellamy, P. Journal Article EMF Fish, Demersal Fish
Magnetic Intensity Study: Long Island Replacement Cables Ocean Surveys Report EMF
Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on Fish and Invertebrates - FY2010 Progress Report Schultz, I., Woodruff, D., Marshall, K. Report Marine Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates
Review of Literature and Studies on Electro Magnetic Fields (EMF) Generated by Undersea Power Cables and Associated Influence on Marine Organisms Switzer, T., Meggitt, D. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF
Electromagnetic Field Study Slater, M., Schultz, A., Jones, R. Report Wave, Tidal, Marine Energy EMF
Bayesian Integration for Marine Spatial Planning and Renewable Energy Siting Halsey, K., Goldfinger, C. Research Study Marine Energy Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on Marine Species: A Literature Review Slater, M. Report Marine Energy EMF Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
The emergence of a new marine renewable energy industry – what are the implications for fisheries? Bell, M., Side, J., Kerr, S. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries
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