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.

Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents Related to Fixed Offshore Wind

Total results: 3177
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Investigations into the effects of pile driving at the offshore wind farm Horns Rev II and the FINO III research platform Brandt, M., Diederichs, A., Nehls, G. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
C-Power / Thornton Bank Senvion Project Site Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind
Life Cycle Assessment of Offshore Wind Electricity Generation in Scandinavia Tveten, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Life Cycle Assessment, Human Dimensions
Contextualizing Avian Mortality: A Preliminary Appraisal of Bird and Bat Fatalities from Wind, Fossil-Fuel, and Nuclear Electricity Sovacool, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Bats, Birds
Ecological and Economic Cost-Benefit Analysis of Offshore Wind Energy Snyder, B., Kaiser, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Proceedings of the Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VII Schwartz, S. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Avian Sensitivity to Mortality: Prioritising Migratory Bird Species for Assessment at Proposed Wind Farms Desholm, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Developing Guidance on Ornithological Cumulative Impact Assessment for Offshore Wind Farm Developers King, S., Maclean, I., Norman, T. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds
From State-Centered Decision-Making to Participatory Governance – Planning for Offshore Wind Farms and Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Northern Germany Bruns, A., Gee, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
Revised Best Practice Guidance for the Use of Remote Techniques for Ornithological Monitoring at Offshore Windfarms Walls, R., Pendlebury, C., Budgey, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds
Marine Aquaculture within Offshore Wind Farms: Social Aspects of Multiple-Use Planning Michler-Cieluch, T., Krause, G., Buck, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Social & Economic Data, Human Dimensions
Guidance on Environmental Impact Assessment of Offshore Renewable Energy Development on Surfing Resources and Recreation Surfers Against Sewage Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Recreation & Tourism
Assessment of Wind‐Farm and Other Bird Casualties from Carcasses Found on a Northumbrian Beach Over an 11‐Year Period Newton, I., Little, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Seabirds, Birds
Seasonal Distribution Of Harbour Porpoises And Possible Interference Of Offshore Wind Farms In The German North Sea Gilles, A., Scheidat, M., Siebert, U. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Marine Mammals
Ammonia Energy Storage, Transmission and Usage Development for Offshore Wind and Applicability to OTEC Hart, G., Holbrook, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, OTEC, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Physical Environment
Testing and validation of automated whistle and click detectors using PAMGUARD 1.0 Yack, T., Barlow, J., Rankin, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Marine Mammals
Marine Spatial Planning: A Step-by-Step Approach toward Ecosystem-based Management Ehler, C., Douvere, F. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Marine Spatial Planning, Human Dimensions
A Review Of Assessment Methodologies For Offshore Windfarms Maclean, I., Wright, L., Showler, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind
Preferences of Coastal Zone User Groups Regarding the Siting of Offshore Wind Farms Ladenburg, J., Dubgaard, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Horns Rev II Offshore Wind Farm Monitoring of Bird Migration Skov, H., Jensen, N., Durinck, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance Birds
Where Are All the People? A Study on the Integration of Socioeconomics and Marine Conservation Planning Feldman, L. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Social & Economic Data, Human Dimensions
Pile Driving Zone of Responsiveness Extends Beyond 20 km for Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena (L.)) Tougaard, J., Carstensen, J., Teilmann, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Observations of Seabirds at Offshore Wind Turbines near Blyth in Northeast England Rothery, P., Newton, I., Little, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
Epibenthic colonization of concrete and steel pilings in a cold-temperate embayment: a field experiment Andersson, M., Berggren, M., Wilhelmsson, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
Development of Spatial Information Layers for Commercial Fishing and Shellfishing in UK Waters to Support Strategic Siting of Offshore Windfarms Dunstone, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Determining Night-Time Distribution of Long-Tailed Ducks Using Satellite Telemetry Allison, T., Perkins, S., Perry, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Waterfowl
Communication Towers, Lights, and Birds: Successful Methods of Reducing the Frequency of Avian Collisions Gehring, J., Kerlinger, P., Manville, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Lighting Bats, Birds, Fish
Involving the Public in the Impact Assessment of Offshore Renewable Energy Facilities Portman, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Stakeholder Engagement, Human Dimensions
Hong Kong Offshore Wind Farm in Southeastern Waters - Environmental Impact Assessment Hong Kong Offshore Wind Limited Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
COWRIE 2.0 Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Phase 2: EMF Sensitive Fish Response to EM Emissions from Sub-sea Electricity Cables of the Type used by the Offshore Renewable Energy Industry Gill, A., Huang, Y., Gloyne-Philips, I. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Fish
The Habitat-Creation Potential of Offshore Wind Farms Elliott, M., Wilson, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change
Definition of a 5-MW Reference Wind Turbine for Offshore System Development Jonkman, J., Butterfield, S., Musial, W. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind
The Effects of Human-Generated Sound on Fish Popper, A., Hastings, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Noise Fish
The Effects Of Anthropogenic Sources Of Sound On Fishes Popper, A., Hastings, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish
Reflections on Integrating Operations and Maintenance Activities of Offshore Wind Farms and Mariculture Michler-Cieluch, T., Krause, G., Buck, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Social & Economic Data, Human Dimensions
Cape Wind Final Environmental Impact Statement US Minerals Management Service (MMS) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: State of the Art After Two Years of Environmental Monitoring Degraer, S., Brabant, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Anholt Offshore Wind Farm Marine Geophysical Investigations Leth, J., Al-Hamdani, Z., Novak, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Fisheries, the environment and offshore wind farms: location, location, location Johnson, M., Rodmell, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Stakeholder Engagement
Marine Fish Response to Pile Driving Sound Mueller-Blenkle, C., McGregor, P., Gill, A. Research Study Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Demersal Fish
Displaying 2801 - 2840 of 3177 results