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
Underwater sound produced by operational floating wind turbines Marmo, B., Risch, D., van Geel, N. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise
Operational Underwater Noise from Offshore Wind Farms Betke, K., Bellmann, M. Book Chapter Wind Energy Noise
Impacts of Substrate-Borne Vibrations from Pile Driving in a Benthic Marine Invertebrate Jézéquel, Y., Cones, S., Jensen, F. Book Chapter Wind Energy Noise Invertebrates
Offshore Wind Farms as an Anthropogenic Noise Source Stocker, M. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Sound-Related Effects of Offshore Wind Energy on Fishes and Aquatic Invertebrates: Research Recommendations Williams, K., Popper, A., Hice-Dunton, L. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Invertebrates
Spatial Impact of Wind Farm Construction on Harbor Porpoise Detectability van Geel, N., Benjamins, S., Marmo, B. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Influencing Parameters on Impact Pile-Driving and Noise Mitigation Measures Bellmann, M., May, A., Gerlach, S. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Interface Wave Contribution to Acoustic Particle Motion During Offshore Wind Farm Construction Potty, G., Miller, J., Lin, Y. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Invertebrates
Modelling Pile-Driving Sound and Mitigation in Realistic Environments Sertlek, O., Peng, Y., Tsouvalas, A. Book Chapter Wind Energy Noise
Hearing Impact on Marine Mammals Due to Underwater Sound from Future Wind Farms Thomsen, F., Stober, U., Sarnocinska-Kot, J. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Underwater Sound Emissions from the Moorings of Floating Wind Turbines: HYWIND Scotland Case Study Pace, F., Burns, R., Martin, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life: Principles and Practical Considerations Popper, A., Sisneros, J., Hawkins, A. Book Marine Energy, Wind Energy Noise
Revised Danish Guidelines for Underwater Noise from Installation of Impact or Vibratory Driven Piles Lutzen, R., Keller, S., Tougaard, J. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Ecological design of scour protection for offshore wind power Junquera Barbazán, P., Sudjada, S. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Physical Environment
Avoidance & Minimisation of Environmental Impacts from Offshore Wind & Grid Infrastructure Offshore Coalition For Energy & Nature (OCEaN) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
NMFS West Coast Offshore Wind Energy Strategic Science Plan National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
2024 Update to: Technical Guidance for Assessing the Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Marine Mammal Hearing (Version 3.0): Underwater and In Air Criteria for Onset of Auditory Injury and Temporary Threshold Shifts National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Guidance Noise Marine Mammals
Short Science Summary 2024: Underwater Noise OES-Environmental Summary Marine Energy Noise
Advancing Nature Inclusive Offshore Renewable Energy Solutions Conference Dutch Marine Energy Centre Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates
OES-Environmental 2024 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Recreation & Tourism, Stakeholder Engagement
2024 State of the Science Report - Chapter 3: Marine Renewable Energy: Stressor-Receptor Interactions Garavelli, L., Hemery, L., Rose, D. Report Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles
Options for biodiversity-friendly designs and approaches for offshore wind farms in Ireland BlueWise Marine Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Recent Advances in Assessing Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Around the World Copping, A., Martinez, L., Hemery, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Ocean Current, OTEC, Riverine, Salinity Gradient, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Technology Gaps for Monitoring Birds and Marine Mammals at Offshore Wind Facilities Courbis, S., Williams, K., Stepanuk, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Marine Mammals
Evaluating the Impacts of Offshore Wind‬ Development on Marine Ecosystems‬ ‭ King, C. Thesis Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Musseling through: Mytilus byssal thread production is unaffected by continuous noise Wang, S., Ellrich, J., Beermann, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes
Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Maine Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), US Department of the Interior (DOI) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Stakeholder Engagement
Modeling the Underwater Sound of Floating Offshore Windfarms in the Central Mediterranean Sea Baldachini, M., Burns, R., Buscaino, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise
Commercial Wind Lease Issuance on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf, Offshore Oregon Final Environmental Assessment Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), US Army Corps of Engineers Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Influence of powertrain components on noise from a pair of cross-flow turbines Jones, L., Crisp, C., Calandra, G. Presentation Marine Energy, Riverine Noise
An environmental data integration and assessment tool for supporting marine energy adaptive management frameworks McWilliams, S., Chang, G., Kramer, S. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wave Noise Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Legal & Policy
An efficient model for underwater noise prediction during pile driving He, R., Song, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Harbour porpoise responses to the installation of XXL monopiles without noise abatement; implications for noise management in the Southern North Sea Benhemma-Le Gall, A., Hastie, G., Brown, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Collaboration for Environmental Mitigation and Nature Inclusive Design (CEMNID) Xodus Group, The Rich North Sea - De Rijke Noordzee Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Challenges and Opportunities for Floating Offshore Wind Energy in Ultradeep Waters of the Central Atlantic Musial, W., McCoy, A., Hernando, D. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Preliminary study on the environmental effects of hydrogen production at sea Plantema, M., van Erp, C., Verweij, L. Report Chemicals, Noise Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Wind Energy: Technologies and Approaches to Help Address Environmental Effects United States Government Accountability Office Report Wind Energy Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Beneath the blades: Marine wind farms support parts of local biodiversity - a systematic review Knorrn, A., Teder, T., Kaasik, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Mitigation Approaches for Wildlife and Fisheries Newhall, A., Laan, S., Booth, C. Presentation Wind Energy Displacement, Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
The Interface Between Science & Offshore Wind Policy in a Dynamic Ecosystem Rosenbaum, H., Rekdahl, M., King-Nolan, C. Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Displaying 161 - 200 of 1482 results