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 Related to Noise

Total results: 1307
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Initial Environmental Report for the ELEMENT Project Gaborieau, H., Thiébaut, M., Quillienn, N. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Characterisation of underwater operational sound of a tidal stream turbine Risch, D., van Geel, N., Gillespie, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Noise
Summary of Discussions from the Marine Mammal Specialist Committee of the Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG) New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Navigation
Techniques for distinguishing between impulsive and non-impulsive sound in the context of regulating sound exposure for marine mammals Martin, S., Lucke, K., Barclay, D. Journal Article Marine Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
How to set sound exposure criteria for fishes Hawkins, A., Johnson, C., Popper, A. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Fish, Human Dimensions
Underwater Noise Simulation of Impact Pile Driving for Offshore Wind Farm in Taiwan Fang, Y., Sung, P., Hu, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Ecological Risk Assessment of Underwater Sounds from Dredging Operations McQueen, A., Suedel, B., de Jong, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Risk Retirement—Decreasing Uncertainty and Informing Consenting Processes for Marine Renewable Energy Development Copping, A., Freeman, M., Gorton, A. Journal Article Marine Energy EMF, Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Optimal power dispatch strategy of onshore wind farms considering environmental impact Wu, X., Wu, W., Huang, Q. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Human Dimensions
Characterization of impact pile driving signals during installation of offshore wind turbine foundations Amaral, J., Miller, J., Potty, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Noise mitigation for the construction of increasingly large offshore wind turbines Koschinski, S., Lüdemann, K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Impulsive noise pollution in the Northeast Atlantic: Reported activity during 2015–2017 Merchant, N., Andersson, M., Box, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
A Vector Sensor-Based Acoustic Characterization System for Marine Renewable Energy Raghukumar, K., Chang, G., Spada, F. Journal Article Marine Energy Noise
Human perception of wind farm vibration Nguyen, D., Hansen, K., Zajamsek, B. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Human Dimensions
Recent Advances in Wind Turbine Noise Research Hansen, C., Hansen, K. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Development of a Unique Instrumentation System to Monitor Underwater Noise Due to Pile Driving Crowley, R., Berube, J., Matemu, C. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Preliminary Results: Exploring Why Some Families Living in Proximity to Wind Turbine Facilities Contemplate Vacating Their Homes—A Community-Based Study Krogh, C., McMurtry, R., Dumbrille, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
The State of the Science on Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy Development: Workshop Proceedings Gulka, J., Williams, K. Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Displaying 441 - 480 of 1307 results