Floating Offshore Wind

Capturing energy from offshore wind using floating 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. Several floating offshore wind energy demonstrations exist throughout the world, but the technology is yet to be widely deployed.

Floating foundations are used at deep depths (40->1000m) and consist of a balanced floating substructure moored to the seabed with fixed cables. The substructure may be stabilized using buoyancy, mooring lines, or a ballast. Several designs for floating offshore wind substructures currently exist for various depth ranges, including barges, semi-submersibles, tension leg platforms, and single point anchorage buoys. These substructures are connected to one another via inter-array cables, which transport electricity generated from the turbine to floating offshore substations. High voltage export cables then transport the energy to shore. To better understand floating offshore wind, explore these videos from RWE.

The environmental concerns associated with offshore wind farms vary with foundation type. In general, 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. 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. Although pile driving is one of the main concerns surrounding fixed offshore wind energy, floating projects can be constructed onshore and transported out to sea, reducing the impacts from construction-related noise and vessels. Floating foundation’s mooring lines may cause minor scouring or pose a risk of collision or entrapment, but the turbine foundation is mostly located in the upper layer of the water column where there tend to be less organisms.

Photo Credit: Joshua Bauer, NREL

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 Floating Offshore Wind.

Total: 779

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Frameworks and best practices for cumulative impact accounting in offshore energy development Kuempel, C., Stockbridge, J., O'neil, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data
Assessing the potential acoustic impact of floating offshore wind farms in the Central Mediterranean Sea Baldachini, M., Pace, F., Buscaino, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
ScotMER 7th Symposium 2025: EcoWind Marine Scotland Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
ScotMER 7th Symposium 2025: Physical Processes Marine Scotland Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Water Quality
ScotMER 7th Symposium 2025: Fish & Fisheries Marine Scotland Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Assessment of light environmental impacts from offshore wind farms in South Korea Kim, M., Choi, H., Chon, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Lighting Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Hywind Tampen Floating Offshore Wind - Sound Source Characterisation of Operational Floating Turbines Welch, S., Burns, R., Lumsden, C. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise Ecosystem Processes
Outlook on the development of eco-friendly offshore renewable energy technologies Sun, P., Jiang, Z., Chen, 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
Offshore wind development in the Great Lakes: challenges, resources and technical solutions Javaherian, M., Wang, A., Hall, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Fish, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data
Zooplankton and offshore wind: Drifters in a sea of uncertainty Saba, G. Magazine Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Setting a course for research on offshore wind development impacts near Nantucket Shoals Gawarkiewicz, G. Magazine Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Expanding Social Impact Assessment Methodologies Within SDGs: A Case Study on Novel Wind and Tidal Turbine Blades Development Peraki, L., Kontouli, N., Gkika, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Effects of electromagnetic radiation from offshore wind power on the physiology and behavior of two marine fishes Xu, P., Wang, B., Wang, Z. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Demersal Fish
Assessing the potential impacts of floating Offshore Wind Farms on policy-relevant species: A case study in the Gulf of Roses, NW Mediterranean Wawrzynkowski, P., Molins, C., Lloret, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Electromagnetic fields and diadromous fish spawning migration: An urgent call for knowledge Verhelst, P., Pauwels, I., Pohl, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF Fish
Offshore wind farms could impact coastal marine heatwaves in eastern boundary upwelling systems Dalsin, M., Walter, R., Mazzini, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Ecosystem Processes
Year-round and Diel Patterns in Habitat Use of Seabirds off Oregon Orben, R., Porquez, J., Suryan, R. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Supplementary eDNA analyses at the Hywind Tampen FOWF – Enhanced metabarcoding shark and skate detection and additional demersal fish analyses Hestetun, J., Mugu, S., Dahlgren, T. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish
Offshore wind energy: assessing trace element inputs and the risks for co-location of aquaculture Watson, G., Banfield, G. , Watson, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Chemicals Ecosystem Processes, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Effects of Offshore Wind Energy in the Gulf of Mexico: Compilation of Educational Research Briefs [Booklet] Severy, M., Farr, H., Richlen, M. Summary Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Underwater Operational Noise from Floating Wind Turbines: A Case Study in Hywind Tampen Offshore Park Bakhoday-Paskyabi, M., de Yong, K., Palm, A. Presentation Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish
How do fixed and floating offshore wind parks contribute towards the SDGs? An integrated quantitative and qualitative assessment of SDG impacts Luttikhuis, N., Aponte, F., Wiebe, K. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Assessing Impacts of Offshore Wind Development: An Analysis of the Minimization of Economic Exposure of the Scallop Fishery Through the Regulatory Process Chaji, M., Ardini, G., Harsch, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
Life Cycle Assessment of Floating Offshore Wind Farms: The Case of Hywind Tampen in Norway Lotfizadeh, O., Barahmand, Z., Amlashi, H. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment
Marine Fish Passage: Underappreciated Threats to Connectivity Within the Marine Environment Lennox, R., Birnie-Gauvin, K., Bate, C. 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
Floating Offshore Wind Energy Infrastructure Nielsen, K., Robertson, B., Sierman, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) Innovation Guide Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Navigating online perceptions of offshore wind on social media: Facebook discussions on recent whale strandings Hausmann G. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Addressing offshore wind farms compatibilities and conflicts with marine conservation through the application of modelled benchmarking scenarios Montero, L., Abramic, A., Marrero, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Displacement Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Nature Positive: Role of the Offshore Wind Sector World Economic Forum Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Developing the Offshore Wind that Birds Need Seavy, N., Wojcicki, S., Madden, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Lighting, Noise Birds, Passerines, Seabirds, Shorebirds, Waterfowl, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme: Annual Report 2024 The Crown Estate Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy
Limited Evidence Base for Determining Impacts (Or Not) of Offshore Wind Energy Developments on Commercial Fisheries Species Gill, A., Bremner, J., Vanstaen, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Fish, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Scenarios for Replacing Conventional Energy With Offshore Renewable Energy Along the Central California Coast Ruttenberg, B., Wang, Y. , Walter, R. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, Entanglement, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Offshore wind decarbonisation pathway Bird, S., Smith, E., Jackson, R. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
Folk om havvind: Det er veldig i det blå Bratseth, K., Skjølsvold, T., Heidenreich, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
Breeding Behaviour and Health & Safety Implications of Kittiwakes Nesting on Offshore Substations Surrounding Walney Two Wind Farm Consadine, E., Parker, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
Integrating in situ environmental covariates in an American lobster catch model to improve impact assessment Rzeszowski, E., Reardon, K., Brady, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Scoping an Offshore Wind Sustained Observation Programme (OW-SOP) Monteleone, V., De Dominicis, M., Williams, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Physical Environment, Water Quality
Methodology for Combining Digital Aerial Survey Data and Passive Acoustic Baseline Data Harris, D., Chudzinska, M., Jacobson, E. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Displacement Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
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