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.

Affiliated Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Total results: 1283
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
A Parametric Analysis and Sensitivity Study of the Acoustic Propagation for Renewable Energy Heaney, K., Ainslie, M., Halvorsen, M. Report Wind Energy Noise Fish
Design modification of three-blade horizontal-axis wind turbine for noise reduction Rajesh, D., Anand, P., Nath, N. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Effects of multiple exposures to pile driving noise on harbor porpoise hearing during simulated flights—An evaluation tool Schaffeld, T., Schnitzler, J., Ruser, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
A decision framework to identify populations that are most vulnerable to the population level effects of disturbance Wilson, L., Harwood, J., Booth, C. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Numerical simulation and application of noise for high-power wind turbines with double blades based on large eddy simulation model Li, J., Liu, R., Yuan, P. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Potential environmental impacts of wind energy development: A global perspective Nazir, M., Ali, N., Bilal, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes
The Measurement and Prediction of Underwater Noise from Impact Pile Driving during the Construction of Offshore Wind Farm Han, D. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Ecological impact of decommissioning offshore wind farms Teunis, M., Collier, M., Bakker, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
A Risk Retirement Pathway for Potential Effects of Underwater Noise and Electromagnetic Fields for Marine Renewable Energy Development Copping, A., Freeman, M., Gorton, A. Conference Paper Marine Energy EMF, Noise
Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) Reaction to a 3D Seismic Airgun Survey in the North Sea Sarnocinska, J., Teilmann, J., Balle, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Effects of larger turbines for the offshore wind farm at Krieger's Flak, Sweden: Addendum with revised and extended assessment of impact on marine mammals Tougaard, J., Mikaelsen, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Amplitude modulation of wind turbine sound in cold climates Conrady, K., Bolin, K., Sjoblom, A. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Human Dimensions
Baseline assessment of underwater noise in the Ria Formosa Soares, C., Pacheco, A., Zabel, F. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Noise
Bat Impact Minimization Technology: An Improved Bat Deterrent for the Full Swept Rotor Area of Any Wind Turbine Cooper, D., Green, T., Miller, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Bats
Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Empirical Evidence Inspiring Priority Monitoring, Research and Management Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
The role of ambient sound levels, signal-to-noise ratio, and stimulus pulse rate on behavioural disturbance of seabass in a net pen Hubert, J., Neo, Y., Winter, H. Journal Article Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish
Cumulative Noise Impacts Upon Fishes (and Turtles) from Offshore Wind Farm Construction and Operation Popper, A., Hawkins, A. Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Analysis of the Usefulness of Measurement on a Board at Ground Level for Assessing the Noise Level from a Wind Turbine Wszolek, T., Pawlik, P., Mleczko, D. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Assessment of impacts on tropical marine environment for off-shore clean energy development Kandlakunta, L., Deshmukh, M., Sharma, N. Journal Article Noise
Impulsive pile driving noise elicits alarm responses in squid (Doryteuthis pealeii) Jones, I., Stanley, J., Mooney, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Invertebrates
Behavioural responses in a congested sea: an observational study on a coastal nest-guarding fish Mascolino, S., Mariani, S., Benvenuto, C. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish
The use of seal scarers as a protective mitigation measure can induce hearing impairment in harbour porpoises Schaffeld, T., Ruser, A., Woelfing, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Wind turbine noise limits propagation of greater prairiechicken boom chorus, but does it matter? Whalen, C., Brown, M., McGee, J. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
From DNA to ecological performance: Effects of anthropogenic noise on a reef-building mussel Wale, M., Briers, R., Hartl, M. Journal Article Noise Invertebrates
SEA Wave D2.3 Environmental Demonstration Strategy Fox, J. Report Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change, Noise Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Monitoring annoyance and stress effects of wind turbines on nearby residents Hübner, G., Pohl, J., Hoen, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Human Dimensions
High fidelity modeling of pile driving acoustic energy Heaney, K., Seger, K., Halvorsen, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
The importance of underwater sounds to gadoid fishes Hawkins, A., Picciulin, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Demersal Fish
Effects of wind turbine noise on the surrounding soundscape in the context of greater-prairie chicken courtship vocalizations Whalen, C., Brown, M., McGee, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Ground-Nesting Birds, Birds
Noise Propagation Calculations of a Wind Turbine in Complex Terrain Sessarego, M., Shen, W. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Reducing offshore pile driving noise: Modification of the hammer impulse Klages, E., Von Pein, J., Lippert, S. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Risk balancing by a marine mammal: man-made noise reduces the foraging success of seals Hastie, G., Lepper, P., McKnight, C. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Noise Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Impactos Ambientales de la Energía Eólica (Environmental Impacts of the Wind Energy) Hernández-Galvez, G., Pampillón-González, L., Hernández-Almenares, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Visual Impacts
Using dose–response functions to improve calculations of the impact of anthropogenic noise Tyack, P., Thomas, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals
Measuring responses of harbour seals to potential aversive acoustic mitigation signals using controlled exposure behavioural response studies Gordon, J., Blight, C., Bryant, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Ocean Science Magazine Brown, W., Cluck, R., Cruickshank, W. Magazine Article Noise Physical Environment, Ecosystem Processes
Wind turbine audibility and noise annoyance in a national U.S. survey: Individual perception and influencing factors Haac, T., Kaliski, K., Landis, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Human Dimensions, Visual Impacts
Advanced Environmental Monitoring for Marine Renewable Energy Cotter, E. Thesis Ocean Current, Wave Collision, Noise Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Examining the hearing abilities of fishes Popper, A., Hawkins, A., Sand, O. Journal Article Marine Energy Noise Fish, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
WETS Acoustic Survey Final Report 2019 Sea Engineering Inc Report Marine Energy, Wave Noise Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Displaying 441 - 480 of 1283 results