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
Role of Acoustics in Marine Life Monitoring and Mitigation for the Offshore Wind Industry Kohut, J., Warren, J., Premus, V. Presentation Wind Energy Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Project WOW: Update on Project Results and Plans Nowacek, D. Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals
AB 525 Offshore Wind Strategic Plan Jones, M., Bartridge, J., Walker, L. Report Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Underwater Sound Modelling and Sound Mapping in Vibratory Pile Driving Peng, Y., Tsetas, A., Molenkamp, T. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Impacts from Noise California Ocean Science Trust Summary Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise
Understanding Potential Environmental Impacts with Existing Research California Ocean Science Trust Summary Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals
Impacts to Marine Mammals from Pre-Construction Surveys California Ocean Science Trust Summary Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals
Collaborative Whale Detection Technology Evaluation Virtual Workshop Series Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC), Marine Technology Society (MTS) Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Global Review on Environmental Impacts of Onshore Wind Energy in the Field of Tension between Human Societies and Natural Systems Sander, L., Jung, C., Schindler, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Global Review on Environmental Impacts of Onshore Wind Energy and Their Implications for Forest Ecosystems Sander, L., Jung, C., Schindler, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Environmental Impact Assessment of Offshore Wind Farms in Deep Waters Alawady, A., Senthurya, S., Saritha, G. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals
Assessing environmental impacts of offshore wind farms: lessons learned and recommendations for the future [E3S] Rahman, F., Kumar, P. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Chemicals, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment
National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Lighting, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Noise pollution causes parental stress on marine invertebrates, the Giant scallop example Gigot, M, Tremblay, R., Bonnel, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Noise Invertebrates
Making eco-sustainable floating offshore wind farms: Siting, mitigations, and compensations Danovaro, R., Bianchelli, S., Brambilla, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Research Methodologies to Study Behavioral and Physiological Effects on Fishes and Aquatic Invertebrates from Particle Motion and Substrate-Borne Vibration Exposure: Study and Workshop Guan, S., Popper, A., Haxel, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish
Experience report on operational noise: Cross-project evaluation and assessment of underwater noise measurements from the operational phase of offshore wind farms Bellmann, M., Müller, T., Scheiblich, K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Environmental impacts from large-scale offshore renewable-energy deployment Ouro, P., Fernandez, R., Armstrong, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Answering the key stakeholder questions about the impact of offshore wind farms on marine life using hypothesis testing to inform targeted monitoring Cresci, A., Degraer, S., Zhang, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Assessing the influence of offshore wind turbine noise on seasonal fish chorusing Siddagangaiah, S., Chen, C-F., Hu, W-C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind: Double Big Bubble Curtain Plan Dominion Energy Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Range dependent nature of impulsive noise Final Report Matei, M., Chudzinska, M., Remmers, P. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Impacts of wildfire and windfarm construction and operation on herpetofauna community ecology Maloney, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Reptiles
Will wind development adversely impact North Atlantic right whales through an increase in vessel traffic? Bishop, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Collaborative Whale Detection Technology Evaluation Virtual Workshop Series Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC), Marine Technology Society (MTS) Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
A review on the interactions between engineering and marine life: key information for engineering professionals Dobson, T., Lenchine, V., Bainbridge, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Offshore Wind Facts: Birds and Bats Special Initiative on Offshore Wind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Lighting, Noise Bats, Birds
Offshore Wind Facts: Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles Special Initiative on Offshore Wind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Understanding High Resolution Geophysical (HRG) Surveys BOEM Summary Noise Marine Mammals
Offshore Wind Facts: Fish and Invertebrates Special Initiative on Offshore Wind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Fish, Invertebrates
Thornton Bank Offshore Wind Farm Annual Report 2023 Magnus, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality
Wozep Ecological Programme: Knowledge day Wozep/MONS 2024 Offshore Wind Ecological Programme (Wozep) Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
A numerical study on the effect of asymmetry on underwater noise emission in offshore monopile installation Molenkamp, T., Tsouvalas, A., Metrikine, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Comprehensive analysis of the seismic wave fields generated by offshore pile driving: A case study at the BARD Offshore 1 offshore wind farm Bohne, T., Griebmann, T., Rolfes, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Wave Energy Economic and Environmental Aspects Strengths (S), Weakness (W), Opportunity (O), and Threats (T) AlMallahi, M., Delvana, H., Haj Assad, M. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Social & Economic Data
Analysis of bubble curtain effectiveness in the coastal Virginia offshore wind turbine installation Dies, G., Lin, Y-T, Potty, G. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
What are the potential effects of offshore wind farms on coastal fish and their essential habitats? Henry, S., Couturier, L., Darnaude, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Chemicals, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish
Interdisciplinary evaluation of the impacts of offshore renewable energies to support an eco-sustainable approach to the marine environment Baldachini, M. Thesis Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
New England Wind Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Wind Farms and Power Lines Reduced the Territory Status and Probability of Fledgling Production in the Eurasian Goshawk Accipiter gentilis Husby, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Noise Birds, Raptors
Displaying 201 - 240 of 1482 results