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
Changes in Fish Catch Rates in the Presence of Air Gun Sounds in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska Streever, B., Raborn, S., Kim, K. Journal Article Noise Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Avoidance of Wind Farms by Harbour Seals is Limited to Pile Driving Activities Russell, D., Hastie, G., Thompson, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Noise Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Integral NoiseSpotter Raghukumar, K., Chang, G., Spada, F. Research Study Marine Energy Noise Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Lost listening area assessment of anthropogenic sounds in the Chukchi Sea Hannay, D., Hatch, L., Harrison, J. Journal Article Noise
Winter Activity of Coastal Plain Populations of Bat Species Affected by White-Nose Syndrome and Wind Energy Facilities Grider, J., Larsen, A., Homyack, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Bats
Use of Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) and Motion Analysis for Studying the Impacts of Underwater Noise upon Free Ranging Fish and Implications for Marine Energy Management Roberts, L., Perez-Dominguez, R., Elliott, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Noise Fish
Like the Din in a University Canteen The Underwater Operating Noise and its Effects on Porpoises and Friend Benesch, M., Radecke, H. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Much Hubble-Bubble About Nothing? Research into the Little Bubble Curtain Method of Noise Reduction Rolfes, R., Rustemeier, J., Grießmann, T. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
The most Important Environmental Project in a German Offshore Wind Farm: Accompanying Ecological Research on the Offshore Test Field Project Alpha Ventus Beiersdorf, A., Boethling, M., Binder, A. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
A systematic review on the behavioural responses of wild marine mammals to noise: the disparity between science and policy Gomez, C., Lawson, J., Wright, A. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Stochasticism in Noise Generated by an Array of Marine Hydrokinetic Devices Hafla, E., Johnson, E., Roberts, J. Journal Article Marine Energy Noise
Measurement and characterisation of radiated underwater sound from a 3.6 MW monopile wind turbine Pangerc, T., Theobald, P., Wang, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Joint Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies Position Statement: ORJIP Project 4, Stage 1 of Phase 2 Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCB) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Attraction Marine Mammals
Hearing in the Juvenile Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas): A Comparison of Underwater and Aerial Hearing Using Auditory Evoked Potentials Piniak, W., Mann, D., Harms, C. Journal Article Noise Reptiles
Underwater Noise Propagation Models and its Application in Renewable Energy Parks: WaveRoller Case Study Rocha, A. Thesis Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Exposure of benthic invertebrates to sediment vibration: From laboratory experiments to outdoor simulated pile-driving Roberts, L., Harding, H., Voellmy, I. Conference Paper Noise Invertebrates
Studying cetacean behaviour: new technological approaches and conservation applications Nowacek, D., Christiansen, F., Bejder, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Semi-Active Control of Sound Radiated From an Elastic Circular Plate Integrated With Adaptive Tuned Vibration Absorbers Hemmatian, M., Sedaghati, R. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Soundscape characterization in a dynamic acoustic environment: Grand Passage, Nova Scotia, a planned in-stream tidal energy site Lombardi, A., Hay, A., Barclay, D. Conference Paper Noise
Assessing The Benefit Of Noise Reduction Measures During Offshore Wind Farm Construction On Harbour Porpoises Verfuss, U., Plunkett, R., Booth, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Measuring sound detection spaces for acoustic animal sampling and monitoring Darras, K., Pütz, P., Fahrurrozi Journal Article Noise
Structure-Borne Wave Radiation by Impact and Vibratory Piling in Offshore Installations: From Sound Prediction to Auditory Damage Tsouvalas, A., Metrikine, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Windmill Noise Annoyance, Visual Aesthetics, and Attitudes towards Renewable Energy Sources Klaeboe, R., Sundfor, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Human Dimensions, Visual Impacts
Modelling the Propagation of Underwater Acoustic Emissions for Condition Monitoring of Marine Renewable Energy Walsh, J., Bashir, I., Thies, P. Conference Paper Marine Energy Noise
Rampion Windfarm: Simultaneous piling assessment HR Wallingford Ltd Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Technical Guidance for Assessing the Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Marine Mammal Hearing: Underwater Acoustic Thresholds for Onset of Permanent and Temporary Threshold Shifts National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Report Noise Marine Mammals
Assessing Auditory Evoked Potentials of Wild Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Ruser, A., Dähne, M., van Neer, A. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals
A review of crustacean sensitivity to high amplitude underwater noise: Data needs for effective risk assessment in relation to UK commercial species Edmonds, N., Firmin, C., Goldsmith, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Wind turbines cause chronic stress in badgers (Meles meles) in Great Britain Agnew, R., Smith, V., Fowkes, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Terrestrial Mammals
Mitigation Measures for Wildlife in Wind Energy Development, Consolidating the State of Knowledge — Part 2: Operation, Decommissioning Gartman, V., Bulling, L., Dahmen, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds
Black - billed Cuckoo Conservation Plan for the California Ridge Wind Energy Project Champaign and Vermilion Counties, Illinois Western Ecosystems Technology Inc (WEST) Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Noise Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Auditory Sensitivity in Aquatic Animals Lucke, K., Popper, A., Hawkins, A. Journal Article Noise Seabirds, Marine Mammals, Fish, Birds
Effects of Offshore Pile Driving on Harbour Porpoise Abundance in the German Bight: Assessment of Noise Effects Brandt, M., Dragon, A., Diederichs, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Geo-Spatial Tool for the Assessment Offshore Pile Driving Noise Effects on Marine Mammals Daoud, W., Kasama, K., Saleh, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
Technological solutions to reduce the environmental impacts of wind-energy systems Megavind Report Wind Energy Collision, Displacement, Lighting, Noise Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Visual Impacts
Analysis of the wind turbine noise emissions and impact on the environment Katinas, V., Marčiukaitis, M., Tamašauskienė, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise
A Portable, Real-Time Passive Acoustic System and Autonomous Hydrophone Array for Noise Monitoring of Offshore Wave Energy Projects Haxel, J., Turpin, A., Matsumoto, H. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Noise Generated from an Array of Current Energy Converters Halfa, E., Johnson, C., Johnson, E. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Ocean Current Noise
Seasonal and Diel Variability of the Underwater Noise in the Baltic Sea Klusek, Z., Lisimenka, A. Journal Article Noise
Monitoring the acoustic effects of pile driving for the first offshore wind farm in the United States Newhall, A., Lin, Y., Miller, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Displaying 681 - 720 of 1307 results