Fixed Offshore Wind

Capturing energy from offshore wind with bottom-mounted foundations.

Offshore wind energy technologies harness kinetic energy from the wind to generate energy and transport that energy back to shore via a subsea export cable. The main advantage of offshore wind energy is access to stronger and more consistent winds, allowing for the use of larger turbines. The development of offshore wind in Europe and Asia has preceded development activities in other parts of the world; however, several projects in the United States are currently underway.

There are different types of offshore wind turbine foundation on which the turbine can be installed, depending on the depth and substrate. Gravity foundations are used at shallow depths (0-30m) and consist of large, steel or concrete bases that rest on the seabed. Suction bucket foundations are also made from steel or concrete, and are installed using the pressure difference generated between the inside of the bucket and the water surrounding it (without any use of mechanical force). Monopile foundations are used at shallow depths (0-30 m) and consist of a pile that is driven into the seabed. Monopiles are typically less costly than other foundation types and are the most commonly used. Tripod fixed bottom foundations are used at transitional depths (20-80m) and consist of three legs connecting to a central shaft that supports the turbine base. Each leg has a pile driven into the seabed, which creates a wide foundation that allows for the piles to be placed at a shallower depth in the seabed than monopile foundations. Jacket foundations are also used at transitional depths (20-80m) and feature a lattice framework that comprises three to four anchoring points driven into the seafloor.

The environmental concerns associated with offshore wind farms vary with foundation type. Monopiles, for example, require pile-driving, which produces incredibly loud noises that tend to propagate far in the water, even after mitigation strategies such as bubble shields, slow start, and acoustic cladding are employed. Collision risk with birds and bats is a major concern, though the impact is more difficult to quantify offshore because carcasses that provide evidence of collisions become lost at sea. While the footprint of offshore wind energy is relatively small, it may still cause scouring and changes to sediment transport. As with all electricity generation, there is a slight concern that electromagnetic fields generated by power cables may affect animals that use Earth's natural magnetic field for orientation, navigation, and hunting. Artificial reefing is likely to occur around wind farms as the new hard substrate provides protection and attracts colonizing invertebrates and fish.

Affiliated Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Total results: 3133
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Offshore flat oyster pilot Luchterduinen wind farm: Results campaign 2 (July 2019) and lessons learned Didderen, K., Bergsma, J., Kamermans, P. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Invertebrates
Aerial-trained deep learning networks for surveying cetaceans from satellite imagery Borowicz, A., Le, H., Humphries, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Marine Mammals
Feasibility of a Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) network for Harbour Porpoises on the Dutch Continental Shelf Scheidat, M., Geelhoed, S., Noort, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Fish densities associated with structural elements of oil and gas platforms in southern California Meyer-Gutbrod, E., Kui, L., Nishimoto, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Habitat Change Fish
Reducing offshore pile driving noise: Modification of the hammer impulse Klages, E., Von Pein, J., Lippert, S. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Monitoring radar performance data collection and data quality Leemans, J., Gyimesi, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement Birds
U.S. Geological Survey energy and wildlife research annual report for 2019 Khalil, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Fish, Terrestrial Mammals
Adaptive surface distortions for torque ripple control in vertical-axis wind turbines Erfort, G., von Backström, T., Venter, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Environmental impact and pollution-related challenges of renewable wind energy paradigm - A review Nazir, M., Mahdi, A., Bilal, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind
Effect of low frequency electromagnetic field on the behavior and bioenergetics of the polychaete Hediste diversicolor Jakubowska, M., Urban-Malinga, B., Otremba, Z. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Invertebrates
Offshore wind farms and their effects on birds Fox, A., Petersen, I-K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Digital Aerial Baseline Survey of Marine Wildlife in Support of Offshore Wind Energy Second Annual Report Fourth Interim Report Normandeau Associates Inc Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Measuring responses of harbour seals to potential aversive acoustic mitigation signals using controlled exposure behavioural response studies Gordon, J., Blight, C., Bryant, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Impacts to Wildlife of Wind Energy Siting and Operation in the United States Allison, T., Diffendorfer, J., Baerwald, E. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
A framework to evaluate the environmental impact of OCEAN energy devices Mendoza, E., Lithgow, D., Flores, P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Ocean Current, OTEC, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions
A 30-year projection of the future wind energy resources in the coastal environment of the Black Sea Rusu, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions
Moray East Pre-Construction Survey Campaign Summary Report Moray Offshore Wind Farm (East) Limited Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Local support for renewable energy technologies? Attitudes towards local near-shore wind farms among second home owners and permanent area residents on the Danish coast Johansen, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Evaluation of bird detection efficiency of ProBird: tracking missed detection and false positives Lagrange, H., Rico, P. Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Raptors, Seabirds
A glimpse into energy tourism via application of eye-tracking technology Liu, D., Upchurch, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Recreation & Tourism, Visual Impacts
Improving visual biodiversity assessments of motile fauna in turbid aquatic environments Jones, R., Griffin, R., Rees, S. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Endangered Atlantic Sturgeon in the New York Wind Energy Area: implications of future development in an offshore wind energy site Ingram, E., Cerrato, R., Dunton, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish, Demersal Fish
Study of the currentology of Moroccan facades and assessment of the marine energy potential for the fight against the impact of climate changes Hariss, S., Saifaoui, D., Hilmi, K. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Ocean Current, OTEC, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions
Volume-Based Assessment of Erosion Patterns around a Hydrodynamic Transparent Offshore Structure Welzel, M., Schendel, A., Schlurmann, T. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Physical Environment
Placing Green Energy in the Sea: Offshore Wind Farms, Dolphins, Oysters, and the Territorial Politics of the Intertidal Zone in Taiwan Hung, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Assessing use-use interactions at sea: A theoretical framework for spatial decision support tools facilitating co-location in maritime spatial planning Bonnevie, I., Hansen, H., Schrøder, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Marine Spatial Planning, Human Dimensions
Digital Aerial Baseline Survey of Marine Wildlife in Support of Offshore Wind Energy Fall 2018 Target Extraction Summary Report Normandeau Associates Inc Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind
Digital Aerial Baseline Survey of Marine Wildlife in Support of Offshore Wind Energy Fall 2018 Taxonomic Analysis Summary Report Normandeau Associates Inc Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind
Wildlife and Wind Farms - Conflicts and Solutions, Volume 4. Offshore: Monitoring and Mitigation Perrow, M. Book Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment for Onshore Windfarm Siting in Greece Vagiona, D., Karapangiotiduou, X. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Perceptions of Offshore Wind Farms and Community Development: Case Study of Fangyuan Township, Chunghua County, Taiwan Lin, K-J., Hsu, C-P., Liu, H-Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Recreation & Tourism, Stakeholder Engagement
Sustainability and tourism: the effect of the United States’ first offshore wind farm on the vacation rental market Carr-Harris, A., Lang, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Visual Impacts, Recreation & Tourism, Human Dimensions
Maryland Offshore Wind Construction and Operations Plan: Appendix II D2- Offshore Benthic Report ESS Group, LLC Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Physical Environment
Maryland Offshore Wind Construction and Operations Plan: Appendix II D1-Indian River Bay Benthic Report ESS Group, LLC Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Physical Environment
Development of cumulative impact assessment guidelines for offshore wind farms and evaluation of use in project making Durning, B., Broderick, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions
Assessing the Cumulative Adverse Effects of Offshore Wind Energy Development on Seabird Foraging Guilds Along the East Coast of the United States Goodale, M., Milman, A., Griffin, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
Effect of Pile-Driving Playback Sound Level on Fish-Catching Efficiency in Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Kastelein, R., Huijser, L., Cornelisse, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
The Dynamic Ocean: Offshore Wind Energy and Other Activities in the New York Bight New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes, Human Dimensions, Navigation
Present Status and Challenges for the Interaction between Offshore Wind Farms and Maritime Navigation in the Taiwan Strait Chen, J., Claramunt, C., Saux, E. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Navigation
Europe, China and the United States: Three different approaches to the development of offshore wind energy deCastro, M., Salvador, S., Gomez-Gesteira, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Displaying 1241 - 1280 of 3133 results