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: 1450

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
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, Fixed Offshore Wind 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, Fixed Offshore Wind 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
Marine Mammal Acoustics in a Noisy Ocean Erbe, C., Houser, D., Bowles, A. Book Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Environmental impact evaluation of an oscillating water column Rubio-Clemente, A., Gallego-Ramírez, C., Chica, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change, Noise Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Underwater Noise from Drilling Activities During Offshore Wind Farm Construction Mathias, D., Richard, G., Retailleau, E. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
The impact of pile driving noise on North Atlantic right whale detection using coherently beamformed hydrophone arrays Premus, V., Abbot, P., Abbot, T. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Measuring Marine Electromagnetic Fields: Systems and Applications D'eu, J., Colin, F., Maisonneuve, C. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF, Noise
Working Group on Marine Benthal and Renewable Energy Developments (WGMBRED; outputs from 2024 meeting)) Vanaverbeke, J., Coolen, J., Chiarandon, A. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
The contribution of the SafeWAVE EU project to the future development of ocean energy Bald, J., Galparsoro, I., Mandiola, G. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise
Predicted and observed responses of harbour porpoises to pile driving noise at Moray West Offshore Wind Farm Thompson, P., Benhemma-Le Gall, A., Lee, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Towards Nature Positive for the Ocean: Pathways for Corporate Contributions Carrow, A., Lynch, L., Kroner, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Physiological and behavioral effects of underwater noise on the large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) and the blackhead seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii) Wang, Z., Jin, R., Xu, P. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Fish
Offshore Wind Energy and Whales: TBC Industry Briefing Note The Biodiversity Consultancy Guidance Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Immediate and short-term effects of pile-driving on Hector’s dolphin in Lyttelton Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand Clement, D., Pavanato, H., Lenky, C. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Approaches to attributing underwater noise to a wave energy converter Polagye, B., Hunt, A., Mackey, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Suitability of assessing population-level impacts from construction of a single wind farm – a case study on North Sea harbour porpoises van Geel, N., Benjamins, S., Marmo, B. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Harbour porpoise trends and offshore wind farm effects in the German Bight North Sea Rose, A., Braasch, A., Diederichs, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
An analysis of fishers’ concerns and knowledge gaps relating to offshore wind development in Norway Utne-Palm, A., McQueen, K., Jong, K. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Effects and management implications of emerging marine renewable energy technologies Copping, A., Wood, D., Rumes, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, OTEC, Salinity Gradient Chemicals, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Australian Marine Conservation Society Offshore Wind Energy Fact Sheet Australian Marine Conservation Society Summary Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike
Frequently Asked Questions: Offshore Wind and Whales Whale Communications Committee Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Displacement, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Science priorities to evaluate the effects of offshore wind energy development on fish and fisheries in the Gulf of America Sura, S. , Czaja, R., Brugnone,N. Journal Article Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Changes in Flow, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning, Recreation & Tourism
Underwater Noise Evidence Base OES-Environmental Summary Marine Energy Noise
Marine Renewable Energy: An Introduction to Environmental Effects OES-Environmental Summary Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Stressor-Specific Guidance Document: Underwater Noise OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy Noise
Underwater Noise Conflict Resolution: Framework Report Xodus Group Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
How do tides affect underwater acoustic propagation? A collaborative approach to improve internal wave modeling at basin to global scales Schönau, M., Hiron, L., Ragland, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Noise
The impact of sound ordinances on the land-based wind technical potential of the United States Gu, J., Glaws, A., Harrison-Atlas, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Towards more accurate sound field verification using directional acoustic filtering Barosin, E. , Raghukumar, K. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Noise
Pile driving sound induces short-term behavioral changes in black sea bass (Centropristis striata): A field study Jarriel, S., Jézéquel, Y., Formel, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish
Soundscape and fish passive acoustic monitoring around a North Sea gas-production platform in the Dogger Bank Bolgan, M., Bhalla, S., Boyer Todd, I. Journal Article Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish
Displaying 41 - 80 of 1450 results