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: 1482

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Broad-Scale Responses of Harbor Porpoises to Pile-Driving and Vessel Activities During Offshore Windfarm Construction Benhemma-Le Gall, A., Graham, I., Merchant, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions
Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species: FY15 – FY19 Palka, D., Aichinger Dias, L., Broughton, E. Report Habitat Change, Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
SafeWave DELIVERABLE 2.1 Development of environmental monitoring plans Vinagre, P., Chainho, P., Cruz E. Report Marine Energy EMF, Noise Fish
Environmental impacts of offshore wind installation, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning activities: A case study of Brazil Hernández Carrascal, O., Shadman, M., Amiri, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
A Case Study of Whistle Detection and Localization for Humpback Dolphins in Taiwan Hung, C., Chu, W., Li, W. Journal Article Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
IQOE – Inventory of existing standards and guidelines relevant to marine bioacoustics International Quiet Ocean Experiment (IQOE) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Seagrass Posidonia is impaired by human-generated noise Solé, M., Lenoir, M., Durfort, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Noise
WESE Deliverable 3.2 Acoustic Modelling Felis, I., Madrid, E., Bald, J. Report Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Potential environmental effects of deepwater floating offshore wind energy facilities Farr, H., Ruttenberg, B., Walter, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
A systemic view of potential environmental impacts of ocean energy production Martinez, M., Vázquez, G., Pérez-Maqueo O. Journal Article Marine Energy, Ocean Current, OTEC, Salinity Gradient, Tidal, Wave Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Marine Mammals
Relative Performance of Surface vs. Bottom-Mounted Hydrophones in a Tidal Channel Hasselman, D., Boucher, T., Douglas, J. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Capercaillie and Wind Energy: An international research project Taubmann, J., Coppes, J., Andrén, H. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Vibrational noise from wind energy-turbines negatively impacts earthworm abundance Velilla, E., Collinson, E., Bellato, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Invertebrates
Acoustic risk balancing by marine mammals: anthropogenic noise can influence the foraging decisions by seals Hastie, G., Lepper, P., McKnight, C. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Avoidance, Noise Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Spatial and temporal analysis of cumulative environmental effects of offshore wind farms in the North Sea basin Gusatu, L., Menegon, S., Depellegrin, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Chemicals, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
South Fork Wind Farm Construction and Operations Plan Ørsted, Eversource Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Anthropogenic Sound Exposure-Induced Stress in Captive Dolphins and Implications for Cetacean Health Yang, W., Chen, C., Chuah, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
HELCOM Guidelines for monitoring continuous noise Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Aeroacoustic Assessment of Wind Plant Controls Hamilton, N., Bortolotti, P., Jager, D. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise
Agent-based models to investigate sound impact on marine animals: bridging the gap between effects on individual behaviour and population level consequences Mortensen, L., Chudzinska, M., Slabbekoorn, H. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
The Rockhopper: a compact and extensible marine autonomous passive acoustic recording system Klinck, H., Winiarski, D., Mack, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Underwater Noise Monitoring with Real-Time and Low-Cost Systems, (The CORMA Experience) Diviacco, P. Journal Article Noise
Substrate vibrations and their potential effects upon fishes and invertebrates Hawkins, A., Hazelwood, R., Popper, A. Journal Article Noise Fish, Invertebrates
An Evaluation of the Potential Impact of Extracting Marine Renewable Energy in the Coastal Environment of the Black Sea Zburlea, L., Rusu, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Impact of wind power plants on mammalian and avian wildlife species in shrub- and woodlands Schöll, E., Nopp-Mayr, U. Journal Article Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Terrestrial Mammals
Infrasound from wind turbines Myck, T., Wothge, J. Magazine Article Wind Energy Noise Human Dimensions, Health & Safety
Ocean Noise and Soundscape Projects Northeast Fisheries Science Center Webpage Noise
Echolocation activity of harbour porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, shows seasonal artificial reef attraction despite elevated noise levels close to oil and gas platforms Clausen, K., Teilmann, J., Wisniewska, D. Journal Article Attraction, Habitat Change, Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
How could operational underwater sound from future offshore wind turbines impact marine life? Stober, U., Thomsen, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Vineyard Wind 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Revolution Wind COP Appendix Z1: Assessment of Impacts to Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles, and ESA-Listed Fish Species CSA Ocean Sciences Inc Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Field Observations During Offshore Wind Structure Installation and Operation (Maryland Offshore Wind and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind) Amaral, J., Ampela, K., Frankel, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Changes in feeding behavior of longfin squid (Doryteuthis pealeii) during laboratory exposure to pile driving noise Jones, I., Peyla, J., Clark, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Invertebrates
International policy, recommendations, actions and mitigation efforts of anthropogenic underwater noise Chou, E., Southall, B., Robards, M. Journal Article Noise
JUMP Deliverable 2: Inventory of background information Sobreira, F., Cruz, E., Luís, A. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Use of Underwater Acoustics in Marine Conservation and Policy: Previous Advances, Current Status, and Future Needs Guan, S., Brookens, T., Vignola, J. Journal Article Noise
The soundscape of the Anthropocene ocean Duarte, C., Chapuis, L., Collin, S. Journal Article Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Co-production in the wind energy sector: A systematic literature review of public engagement beyond invited stakeholder participation Solman, H., Smits, M., Vliet, B. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Trends and knowledge gaps in field research investigating effects of anthropogenic noise Jerem, P., Mathews, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Response of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena L., 1758) to the FaunaGuard and subsequent piling during the construction of offshore wind farms Voß, J. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Displaying 481 - 520 of 1482 results