Potential Environmental Effects on Animals from Marine Renewable Energy: Electromagnetic Fields
Certain marine animals, such as certain elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, rays, etc.), marine mammals, crustaceans, sea turtles, and other fish species, can sense electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These species use EMFs to navigate, orient, and hunt for prey. Cables from operational marine renewable energy (MRE) devices can add EMFs to the environment, on top of other anthropogenic sources such as underwater telecom or power cables, while also adding to the Earth’s natural field. MRE devices can potentially alter the ambient EMF field, which may disrupt the animals’ ability to detect natural signatures, potentially affecting their survival, reproductive success, or migratory patterns. With the advent of larger MRE developments, the intensity and range of the emissions may increase.
This Short Science Summary was developed based on the OES-Environmental 2020 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World, specifically Chapter 5: Risk to Animals from Electromagnetic Fields Emitted by Electric Cables and Marine Renewable Energy Devices.
The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.
| Title | Author | Date Sort ascending | Content Type | Technology | Stressor | Receptor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressing Tidal Energy Through Organized Data Approaches | Copping, A., Hemery, L., Garavelli, L., Freeman, M. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles | |
| Electromagnetic fields from submarine power cables: A 35 Year synthesis of effects on aquatic biota | James, E., Ghodsi, M., Ford, A. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind | EMF | Fish, Invertebrates | |
| Effects of electromagnetic fields on flatfish activity levels | Chapman, E., Rochas, C., Burns, Z., Harsanyi, P., Hermans, A., Scott, K. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind | EMF | Fish, Demersal Fish | |
| All tide up: addressing the regulatory and environmental barriers affecting tidal energy development in British Columbia | Kelsey, A. | Thesis | Marine Energy, Tidal | Collision, EMF, Noise | Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement | |
| Female Crabs Are More Sensitive to Environmentally Relevant Electromagnetic Fields from Submarine Power Cables | James, E., Ghodsi, M., Ford, A. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy | Attraction, EMF | Invertebrates | |
| Minimizing environmental risks to progress the marine renewable energy industry | Garavelli, L., Rose, D., Freeman, M., Hemery, L., Farr, H., Copping, A. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy | Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | ||
| Environmental effects of marine renewable energy off-grid and micro-grid applications: a use case approach to assess existing knowledge and remaining uncertainties | Hemery, L., Weicht, L., Copping, A., Garavelli, L. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave | Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts | |
| Environmental Risks and Impacts of Offshore Energy: A Literature Review | Pontinha, D., Bispo, L., Gervásio, H., Aktuglu, Y. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind | Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning | |
| Sea Space Analysis for Wave and Tidal Energy | Lee, S., Strong, V., Anning, D., Buecker, N., Flanary, C., Chang, G., Escajeda, E. , Kramer, S., Mullany, D. | Report | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave | Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts | |
| Measuring Marine Electromagnetic Fields: Systems and Applications | D'eu, J., Colin, F., Maisonneuve, C., Weller, A. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, Wind Energy | EMF, Noise | ||
| Working Group on Marine Benthal and Renewable Energy Developments (WGMBRED; outputs from 2024 meeting)) | Vanaverbeke, J., Coolen, J., Chiarandon, A., Wrede, A., Darr, A., Gill, A., Lipsky, A., Want, A., Murphy, A., Carlier, A., Capet, A., Ibanez-Erquiaga, B., Coral, C., Carey, D., Gamelle, E. , Velasco, E., Kent, F., Martin, G., Adao, H., Dannheim, J., Vogel, C., Degraer, S., Buyse, J., Boutin, K., Kornau, L., Allen-Jacobson, L., Nalmpanti, M., Rasser, M., Desroy, N., Mavraki, N., Causon, P., Vinagre, P., Hofstede, R., Birchenough, S., Bolan, S., Yeuw, T., Wilding, T., Braeckman, U., Janas, U., Spielmann, V., Hutchison, Z. | Report | Marine Energy, Wind Energy | EMF, Noise | Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy | |
| The contribution of the SafeWAVE EU project to the future development of ocean energy | Bald, J., Galparsoro, I., Mandiola, G., de Santiago, I., Menchaca, I., Uyarra, M., Pouso, S., Uriarte, A., Muxika, I., Sobradillo, B., Vinagre, P., Machado, I., Clementino, L., Chainho, P., Correia, J., Soulard, T., Le Bourhis, E., Felis, I., Garcia, A., Verling, E., O'Hagan, A., Dunphy, N., Smith, A., Iglesias, G., Lennon, B., Torre-Enciso, Y., Zubiate, L., Chambel, J., Cardoso, S., Santos, H., Geerinckx, Q., Troussard, C., Tanguy, F., Longeroche, J., Magaldi, P. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind | Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise | ||
| Effects and management implications of emerging marine renewable energy technologies | Copping, A., Wood, D., Rumes, B., Zin Ong, E., Golmen, L., Mulholland, R., Harrod, O. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, OTEC, Salinity Gradient | Chemicals, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals | |
| Stressor-Specific Guidance Document: Electromagnetic Fields | OES-Environmental | Report | Marine Energy | EMF | ||
| Tidal Stream Energy Project: Collision Risk Data and Evidence Summary | Phillips, E., Wren, S., King, G., San Martin, E. | Report | Marine Energy, Tidal | Avoidance, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy | |
| Sustainability Assessment of an Oscillating Water Column During the Design, Installation, Operation, and Disassembly Phases | Gallego-Ramírez, C., López-Mosquera, J., Chica, E., Rubio-Clemente, A. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wave | Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike | Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts | |
| Collaboratively Advancing our Understanding of Electromagnetic Fields – what do you need to know? | Hutchison, Z., Gill, A. | Workshop Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy | EMF | Fish, Invertebrates | |
| Outlook on the development of eco-friendly offshore renewable energy technologies | Sun, P., Jiang, Z., Chen, Y., Song, X., Pang, Y., Cai, B., Xu, X., Li, Y. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind | Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning | |
| Marine Fish Passage: Underappreciated Threats to Connectivity Within the Marine Environment | Lennox, R., Birnie-Gauvin, K., Bate, C., Cooke, S. , Haraldstad, T., Berhe, S., Penney, H., Bangley, C., Vollset, K., Piczak, M. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Riverine, Tidal, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind | Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise | Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning | |
| A Fuzzy Logic Technique for the Environmental Impact Assessment of Marine Renewable Energy Power Plants | Flores, P., Mendoza, E. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Ocean Current, OTEC, Tidal, Wave | Attraction, Avoidance, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Visual Impacts | |
| SafeWave Deliverable 3.4 Synthesis of Knowledge Acquired and Gap Analysis | Garcia, J., Felis, I., de Santiago, I., Imperadore, A., Leitão, J., Vinagre, P., Bald, J. | Report | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow, EMF, Noise | ||
| SafeWave Deliverable 2.6 Data Results and analysis towards impacts' evaluation | Bourhis, E., Soulard, T., Vinagre, P., Clementino, L., Imperadore, A., Muxika, I., Uriarte, A., Bald, J. | Report | Marine Energy, Wave | EMF, Habitat Change, Noise | ||
| SafeWave Deliverable 2.7 Development Of Guidelines For Environmental Monitoring | Muxika, I., Bourhis, E., Felis, I., Imperadore, A., Uriarte, A., Vinagre, P., Bald, J. | Report | Marine Energy, Wave | EMF, Habitat Change, Noise | Fish, Physical Environment | |
| SafeWave Deliverable 3.1 EMF Modelling | Imperadore, A., Amaral, L., Vinagre, P. | Report | Marine Energy | EMF | ||
| MASTS ASM 2024 Workshop Proceeding: Tracking Top Predators in Marine Renewable Energy Development Areas | Sutherland, J. | Workshop Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy | Attraction, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change | Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds | |
| 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., Farr, H., Whiting, J., Copping, A. | 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 | |
| Recent Advances in Assessing Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Around the World | Copping, A., Martinez, L., Hemery, L., Hutchison, I., Jones, K., Kaplan, M. | 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 | |
| Environmental impacts from large-scale offshore renewable-energy deployment | Ouro, P., Fernandez, R., Armstrong, A., Brooks, B., Burton, R., Folkard, A., Ilić, S., Parkes, B., Schultz, D., Stallard, T., Watson, F. | 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 | |
| Wave Energy Economic and Environmental Aspects Strengths (S), Weakness (W), Opportunity (O), and Threats (T) | AlMallahi, M., Delvana, H., Haj Assad, M., Kumar, L., Elgendi, M. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise | Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Social & Economic Data | |
| Improving Understanding of Environmental Effects from Single MRE Devices to Arrays | Hasselman, D., Hemery, L., Copping, A., Fulton, E., Fox, J., Gill, A., Polagye, B. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave | Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | ||
| From Science to Consenting: Applying Environmental Effects Information to Support Regulatory Decision-Making | Freeman, M., Copping, A., Rose, D. | Presentation | Marine Energy | Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy | |
| Environmental Effects Monitoring Program Annual Report 2023 | Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) | Report | Marine Energy, Tidal | Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals | |
| Static magnetic fields reduce swimming activity of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) larvae | Cresci, A., Durif, C., Larsen, T., Bjelland, R., Skiftesvik, A., Browman, H. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy | EMF | Fish, Demersal Fish | |
| ‘Scaling up’ our understanding of environmental effects of marine renewable energy development from single devices to large-scale commercial arrays | Hasselman, D., Hemery, L., Copping, A., Fulton, E., Fox, J., Gill, A., Polagye, B. | Journal Article | Marine Energy | Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | ||
| Red rock crab (Cancer productus) movement is not influenced by electromagnetic fields produced by a submarine power transmission cable | Williams, J., Jaco, E., Scholz, Z., Williams, C., Pondella, D., Rasser, M., Schroeder, D. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy | EMF | Invertebrates | |
| Effects of anthropogenic magnetic fields on the behavior of a major predator of the intertidal and subtidal zones, the velvet crab Necora puber | Albert, L., Olivier, F., Jolivet, A., Chauvaud, L., Chauvaud, S. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy | EMF | Invertebrates | |
| Effect of electromagnetic fields from renewable energy subsea power cables on righting reflex and physiological response of coastal invertebrates | Chapman, E., Rochas, C., Piper, A., Vad, J., Kazanidis, G. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind | EMF | Invertebrates | |
| Recording the Magnetic Field Produced by an Undersea Energy Generating Device: A Low-Cost Alternative | Luna, V., Silva, R., Mendoza, M., Canales-Garcia, I. | Journal Article | Marine Energy | EMF | Marine Mammals | |
| SafeWave Deliverable 2.2 Monitoring of Electromagnetic fields | Imperadore, A., Amaral, L., Tanguy, F., Gregoire, Y., Soulard, T., Le-Bourhis, E., Vinagre, P., Bald, J. | Report | Marine Energy, Wave | EMF |