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: 1484

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Communication Masking in Marine Mammals: A Review and Research Strategy Erbe, C., Reichmuth, C., Cunningham, K. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals
Anthropogenic Sources of Underwater Sound can Modify how Sediment-Dwelling Invertebrates Mediate Ecosystem Properties Solan, M., Hauton, C., Godbold, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Riverine Noise Invertebrates
Anthropogenic noise increases fish mortality by predation Simpson, S., Radford, A., Nedelec, S. Journal Article Noise Fish, Demersal Fish
Underwater Noise Modelling for Environmental Impact Assessment Farcas, A., Thompson, P., Merchant, N. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Mapping Underwater Sound in the Dutch Part of the North Sea Sertlek, H., Aarts, G., Brasseur, S. Book Chapter Noise
Interim Sound Threshold Guidance National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Webpage Noise Marine Mammals
Effects of Underwater Turbine Noise on Crab Larval Metamorphosis Pine, M., Jeffs, A., Radford, C. Book Chapter Marine Energy, Tidal Noise Invertebrates
Environmental impacts of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea: Environmental impact monitoring reloaded Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Fulfilling EU Laws to Ensure Marine Mammal Protection During Marine Renewable Construction Operations in Scotland Dolman, S., Green, M., Gregerson, S. Book Chapter Marine Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Evaluating Statistical Models for Baseline Characterization and Measuring Change in Environmental Monitoring Data Linder, H. Thesis Marine Energy Noise
Predicting Anthropogenic Noise Contributions to US Waters Gedamke, J., Ferguson, M., Harrison, J. Book Chapter Noise
Multiple-Pulse Sounds and Seals: Results of a Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) Telemetry Study During Wind Farm Construction Hastie, G., Russell, B., McConnell, B. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Effects of Offshore Wind Farms on the Early Life Stages of Dicentrarchus labrax Debusschere, E., de Coensel, B., Vandendriessche, S. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish
The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life II Popper, A., Hawkins, A. Book Marine Energy, Wind Energy Noise
Developing Sound Exposure Criteria for Fishes Hawkins, A., Popper, A. Book Chapter Marine Energy Noise Fish, Human Dimensions
Expert Elicitation Methods in Quantifying the Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance from Offshore Renewable Energy Developments Donovan, C., Harwood, J., King, S. Book Chapter Marine Energy Noise
Noise mitigation during pile-driving efficiently reduces disturbance of marine mammals Nehls, G., Rose, A., Diederichs, A. Book Chapter Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Avoidance Marine Mammals
Impact Assessment of Offshore Pile Driving Noise on Red Sea Marine Mammals Dawoud, W., Negm, A., Saleh, N. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals
Measurement of Underwater Operational Noise Emitted by Wave and Tidal Stream Energy Devices Lepper, P., Robinson, S. Book Chapter Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Noise
Underwater Sound Levels at a Wave Energy Device Testing Facility in Falmouth Bay, UK Garrett, J., Witt, M., Johanning, L. Book Chapter Marine Energy, Wave Noise
How Might We Assess and Manage the Effects of Underwater Noise on Populations of Marine Animals? Tasker, M. Book Chapter Noise Ecosystem Processes
Renewables, Shipping, and Protected Species: A Vanishing Opportunity for Effective Marine Spatial Planning? Petruny, L., Wright, A., Smith, C. Book Chapter Noise, Vessel Strike Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation
Understanding the Population Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance for Marine Mammals Harwood, J., King, S., Booth, C. Book Chapter Noise Marine Mammals
Soundscape and Noise Exposure Monitoring in a Marine Protected Area Using Shipping Data and Time-Lapse Footage Merchant, N., Pirotta, E., Barton, T. Book Chapter Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Characterizing Large River Sounds: Providing Context for Understanding the Environmental Effects of Noise Produced by Hydrokinetic Turbines Bevelhimer, M., Deng, D., Scherelis, C. Journal Article Marine Energy, Riverine Noise
Evaluating Threats in Multinational Marine Ecosystems: A Coast Salish First Nations and Tribal Perspective Gaydos, J., Thixton, S., Donatuto, J. Journal Article Chemicals, Collision, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Social & Economic Data
An Italian Proposal on the Monitoring of Underwater Noise: Relationship Between the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and Marine Spatial Planning Directive (MSP) Maccarrone, V., Filiciotto, F., de Vincenzi, G. Journal Article Noise Marine Spatial Planning, Human Dimensions
Subsea Cable Interactions with the Marine Environment NIRAS Consulting, Renewables Grid Initiative Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Sound Science: Maintaining Numerical and Statistical Standards in the Pursuit of Noise Exposure Criteria for Marine Mammals Wright, A. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals
Evolution of Marine Noise Pollution Management Dolman, S., Jasny, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Noise and Vibration Issues of Wind Turbines and Their Impact – A Review Saavedra, R., Samanta, B. Journal Article Wind Energy Habitat Change, Noise
Marine Licence Hywind Scotland Pilot Park The Scottish Government, Marine Scotland Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Birds, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Sensitivity of the Mussel Mytilus edulis to Substrate-Borne Vibration in Relation to Anthropogenically Generated Noise Roberts, L., Cheesman, S., Breithaupt, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Noise Invertebrates
Acoustic stress responses in juvenile sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax induced by offshore pile driving Debusschere, E., Hostens, K., Adriaens, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish
Right whale occurrence in the coastal waters of Virginia, U.S.A.: Endangered species presence in a rapidly developing energy market Salisbury, D., Clark, C., Rice, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
North Atlantic right whale occurrence near wind energy areas along the mid-Atlantic US coast: implications for management Hodge, K., Muirhead, C., Morano, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
The use of Acoustic Deterrents for the mitigation of injury to marine mammals during pile driving for offshore wind farm construction Sparling, C., Sams, C., Stephenson, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Noise Marine Mammals
Impacts of Anthropogenic Noise on Marine Life: Publication Patterns, New Discoveries, and Future Directions in Research and Management Williams, R., Wright, A., Ashe, E. Journal Article Noise Reptiles, Marine Mammals, Invertebrates, Fish
Kriegers Flak Offshore Wind Farm: Technical Project Description for the largescale offshore wind farm (600 MW) at Kriegers Flak Energinet Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Marine Mammals: A Review of Temporary Threshold Shift Studies from 1996 to 2015 Finneran, J. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals
Displaying 881 - 920 of 1484 results