Noise

Sound generated during the construction or operation of a device.

During the construction of wind energy or marine renewable energy devices, substantial noise levels can be produced by vessel or vehicle traffic and installation activities (e.g., pile driving, cable burial). Operation of these devices may additionally produce low levels of noise from the rotation of turbine blades, movement of floating devices on the surface, or strumming of mooring lines and cables. Measures to reduce noise impacts in the marine environment include the use of bubble curtains during pile driving and careful siting and timing of construction activities to avoid species’ critical migration routes and times.

Sound propagates farther and faster in water than in air, which can result in greater consequences for the marine environment. Coupled with the many other sources of anthropogenic noise in the marine environment (e.g., ships, seismic studies), the noise from offshore wind and marine renewable energy devices may impact many marine species. Noise may interfere with marine organisms’ communication, navigation, detection of prey, and ability to interact with their environment, as well as causing attraction to or avoidance of devices. Additionally, some marine organisms may be physically harmed from excessive noise exposure (e.g., tissue and nerve damage).

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

For more information relevant to offshore wind energy, check out the Underwater Noise Effects on Marine Life research brief produced by SEER.

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 Noise.

Total: 1431

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Ecological impacts of offshore wind power construction and operation on zooplankton communities in South China sea Peng, Z., Lu, M., Huang, W. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change, Noise Invertebrates
10 Things to consider before approving another offshore wind farm: A case study for Highland, Scotland Goddijn-Murphy, L. Journal Article Wind Energy Changes in Flow, Collision, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Human Dimensions
Sound propagation analysis of a 10 MW wind turbine: Influence of the tower, operational states, and atmospheric conditions Sun, Z., Zhu, W., Jané, E. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Balancing wind energy expansion and fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea: A trait-based assessment of vulnerability to floating offshore wind farms for commercially important species Wawrzynkowski, P., Sabatés, A., Lloret, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Chemicals, EMF, Entanglement, Lighting, Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Characteristics of Ambient Seismic Noise Recorded at Offshore Wind Turbine Platform Monitoring Stations Wang, J., Zheng, J., Sun, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Managing the effects of offshore wind farm noise on marine animals: Lessons learned after 25 years of research in Europe and beyond Thomsen, F. Conference Paper Wind Energy Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Case-dependent impacts of offshore wind farms on ecosystems: A systematic review and meta-analysis Thomassen, J., Brown, E., Henriksen, O. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Overview of the potential ecological impacts of three offshore locations for wind farms in Aotearoa New Zealand McKinlay, B., van Helden, A., Taylor, G. Report Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Robust real-time detection of right whale upcalls using neural networks on the edge Hyer, M., Anderson, A., Mann, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Mitigating Underwater Noise from Offshore Wind Turbines via Individual Pitch Control de Frutos, M., Bolivar, L., Ferrer, E. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Tidal flow masks acoustic detections of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena): Implications for passive acoustic studies of cetaceans Veneruso, G., Chapuis, L., Hastie, G. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Wind Energy Interactions with Wildlife Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Based on the State of the Science Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute (REWI) Report Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Noise Bats, Birds
Misplaced fears? What the evidence reveals of the ecological effects of tidal power generation Ascher, S., Gray, I., Collins, C. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow, Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Advances in the Development of Monitoring Systems Allying Acoustic Real-Time Data and Model Validation for Effective Management of Underwater Noise Pollution Maglio, A., Fossa, F. Conference Paper Noise
Proposed Underwater Noise Limits for Offshore Wind Construction in the U.S. Reeve, M., Martin, M., H.W. Wilson Company Conference Paper Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals
Establishing a Passive Acoustic Monitoring Network Along the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Martin, M., Staaterman, E., Reeve, M. Conference Paper Wind Energy Noise
Project WOW Acoustic Sampling Strategies, Platforms, and Initial Results Nowacek, D., Rice, A., Southall, B. Conference Paper Wind Energy Noise Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals
Uncrewed Aerial Systems Aid to Advance Field Studies of Construction Sound Exposure of Fin Whales in Southern New England Waters Parks, S., Adcock, D., Burgess, A. Conference Paper Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Environmental effects of marine renewable energy off-grid and micro-grid applications: a use case approach to assess existing knowledge and remaining uncertainties Hemery, L., Weicht, L., Copping, A. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Minimizing environmental risks to progress the marine renewable energy industry Garavelli, L., Rose, D., Freeman, M. Conference Paper Marine Energy Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise
Environmental Risks and Impacts of Offshore Energy: A Literature Review Pontinha, D., Bispo, L., Gervásio, H. Conference Paper Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Evidence review of harbour porpoise disturbance ranges in the context of the assessment and management of impulsive noise in Special Areas of Conservation: unexploded ordnance clearance, explosives for decommissioning, seismic (airgun) survey, etc. Majewska, K., Brown, A., Charish, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Approaches to understanding effects from particle motion and substrate-borne vibration on fishes and invertebrates Guan, S., Roberts, L., Haxel, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Noise Fish, Invertebrates
Ecological impacts of floating offshore wind on marine mammals and associated trophic interactions: current evidence and knowledge gaps Harris, C., Benjamins, S., Scott, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals
Evidence review of harbour porpoise disturbance ranges in the context of the assessment and management of impulsive noise in Special Areas of Conservation: impact piling Brown, A., Majewska, K., Benhemma-Le Gall, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Monitoring of the physiological responses of marine fishes to construction and operation noise from offshore wind farms Kim, B., Jin, G., Byeon, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Fish
Future cumulative effects on demersal fish in a transforming North Sea pressure landscape Rehren, J., Kruse, M., Probst, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish
Updated Effective Deterrent Ranges (EDRs) for assessing the significance of noise disturbance in harbour porpoise Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Temporal presence of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins to the piling during the first offshore wind farm construction in the Pearl River Estuary, China Fang, L., Wu, Y., Pine, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
An ecological risk assessment for the impacts of offshore wind farms on sharks and rays in Australia Werry, J., Meager, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Physical Environment, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Assessing, monitoring and mitigating the effects of offshore wind farms on biodiversity Watson, S., Szostek, C., Edwards-Jones, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Co-evolution of Underwater Noise Measurements and Wave Energy Converter Design Polagye, B., Bassett, C., Mackey, L. Presentation Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Efficacy of real-time passive acoustic monitoring near wind energy industrial activities for mitigating risks to right whales Baumgartner, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
An ecosystem modelling approach to assess potential impacts of offshore wind farms Huang, Y., Girardin, R., Oliveros-Ramos, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Fish, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
A case study on the feasibility and optimization of wind farm deployment in India Agarwal, L., Manisha, Arya, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Human Dimensions, Visual Impacts
Sea Space Analysis for Wave and Tidal Energy Lee, S., Strong, V., Anning, D. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts
Marine Mammal Monitoring: Methods, Technologies, and Opportunities for Innovation Dorrian, N., Ferguson, E., Scala, L. Report Wind Energy Avoidance, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals
Wind farms through the lens of sustainability and circularity: Integrating environmental, economic, and social dimensions Arias, A., Moreira, M., Feijoo, G. Journal Article Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Life Cycle Assessment, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Integrating Biodiversity Impacts into Life Cycle Assessment: Applied to a case study of onshore wind power production Demyanenko, S. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment
Economic Viability and Environmental Assessment of Marine Renewable Energy Technologies: A Comparative Framework for Tidal Stream Energy and Offshore Wind Power in the United States Bajaj, A. Journal Article Tidal, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Passerines, Fish, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Navigation, Social & Economic Data
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