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.

Affiliated Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Total results: 1270
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Impacts of Anthropogenic Noise on Wildlife: Research Priorities for the Development of Standards and Mitigation Blickley, J., Patricelli, G. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise
Airborne and Underwater Noise Assessment at the Pico OWC Wave Power Plant de Moura, A., Carvalho, M., Patricio, S. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Characteristics of Underwater Ambient Noise at a Proposed Tidal Energy Site in Puget Sound Bassett, C., Thomson, J., Polagye, B. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Noise
Bayesian Integration for Marine Spatial Planning and Renewable Energy Siting Halsey, K., Goldfinger, C. Research Study Marine Energy Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
The Marine Soundscape and the Effects of Noise on Aquatic Mammals Erbe, C. Journal Article Marine Energy Noise Marine Mammals
Marine Megavertebrates and Fishery Resources in the Nantucket Sound – Muskeget Channel Area: Assessing Impacts of Marine Renewable Energy Installations on Marine Megavertebrates - Recommendations for the Proposed Muskeget Channel Tidal Energy Project Leeney, R., Nichols, O., Sette, L. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Seabirds, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Sea Turtles
The emergence of a new marine renewable energy industry – what are the implications for fisheries? Bell, M., Side, J., Kerr, S. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries
Wave Energy and Underwater Noise: Assessment and Monitoring Aspects Patricio, S., Soares, C. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Assessing the Responses of Coastal Cetaceans to the Construction of Offshore Wind Turbines Thompson, P., Lusseau, D., Barton, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Statutory Nature Conservation Agency Protocol for Minimising the Risk of Injury to Marine Mammals from Piling Noise Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Ocean Current Turbine Rotor Noise Glegg, S. Research Study Tidal, Ocean Current, Marine Energy Noise Marine Mammals
Classification of Three-Dimensional Ocean Features using Three-Dimensional Empirical Orthogonal Functions Martins, N., Calado, L., Paula, A. Conference Paper Noise
The Effect of a Large Danish Offshore Wind Farm on Harbor and Gray Seal Haul-Out Behavior Edrén, S., Andersen, S., Teilmann, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Pinnipeds, Marine Mammals
A Noisy Spring: The Impact of Globally Rising Underwater Sound Levels on Fish Slabbekoorn, H., Bouton, N., van Opzeeland, I. Journal Article Noise Fish
Human Perception of Sound from Wind Turbines Pedersen, E., Forssén, J., Waye, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise Human Dimensions
Assessing Underwater Noise Levels during Pile-Driving at an Offshore Windfarm and its Potential Effects on Marine Mammals Bailey, H., Senior, B., Simmons, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
The Potential Health Impact of Wind Turbines Chief Medical Officer of Heath of Ontario Report Wind Energy Noise Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Acoustic Effects of Tidal Energy Polagye, B., Thomson, J., Copping, A. Research Study Tidal, Marine Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Fish
Adapting Offshore Wind Power Foundations to Local Environment Hammar, L., Andersson, S., Rosenberg, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Physical Environment, Invertebrates
An Analysis of the Potential Acoustic Effects of Cape Wind's Offshore Wind Farm on Marine Mammal Populations Burgman, J. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Effects of Pile-Driving Noise on the Behaviour of Marine Fish Mueller-Blenkle, C., McGregor, P., Gill, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Avoidance Fish, Demersal Fish
Assessment of the acoustic effects on marine animals by an offshore wind farm. Miller, J., Potty, G., Raposa, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
The Costs of Chronic Noise Exposure for Terrestrial Organisms Barber, J., Crooks, K., Fristrup, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Marine Energy Noise
Exposure to Seismic Survey Alters Blue Whale Acoustic Communication Di Iorio, L., Clark, C. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Risk Formulation For The Sonic Effects Of Offshore Wind Farms On Fish In The EU Region Kikuchi, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish
Mitigation of Underwater Pile Driving Noise During Offshore Construction: Final Report Stokes, A., Cockrell, K., Wilson, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Aversiveness of Sounds in Phocid Seals: Psycho-Physiological Factors, Learning Processes and Motivation Götz, T., Janik, V. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Early Environmental Impact Assessment and Spatio-Temporal Variability Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Changes in Flow, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Marine Renewable Energy and the Environment (MaREE) Adams, T., Bainbridge, J., Benjamins, S. Research Study Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Underwater Noise Produced by the Piling Activities During the Construction of the Belwind Offshore Wind Farm (Bligh Bank, Belgian Marine Waters) Norro, A., Haelters, J., Rumes, B. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Literature Review on the Potential Effects of Electromagnetic Fields and Subsea Noise from Marine Renewable Energy Developments on Atlantic Salmon, Sea Trout and European Eel Gill, A., Bartlett, M. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave EMF, Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish
Underwater Ambient Noise at a Proposed Tidal Energy Site in Puget Sound Bassett, C. Thesis Tidal, Marine Energy Noise
Introduction: offshore wind energy development in the Belgian part of the North Sea & anticipated impacts Brabant, R., Jacques, T. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Stakeholder Engagement
The Potential of Natural Sounds to Mask Wind Turbine Noise Bolin, K., Nilsson, M., Khan, S. Journal Article Wind Energy Noise Human Dimensions
Rethinking sound detection by fishes Popper, A., Fay, R. Journal Article Marine Energy Noise Fish
Assessment of Underwater Noise Generated by Wave Energy Devices Austin, M., Chorney, N., Ferguson, J. Report Wave, Marine Energy Noise
The Effect of Signal Duration on the Underwater Hearing Thresholds of Two Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) for Single Tonal Signals Between 0.2 and 40 kHz Kastelein, R., Hoek, L., Wensveen, P. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Anthropogenic and natural sources of ambient noise in the ocean Hildebrand, J. Journal Article Noise
Acoustic Masking In Marine Ecosystems: Intuitions, Analysis, And Implication Clark, C., Ellison, W., Southall, B. Journal Article Noise Marine Mammals
Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects: An Expert Panel Review Colby, W., Dobie, R., Leventhall, G. Report Wind Energy Noise Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
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