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: 2910
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Lake-crossing behavior of migratory songbirds: Assessing potential collision risk with offshore wind on Lake Erie Korpi, Z. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Passerines
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
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
Socio-economic and environmental impacts of renewable energy deployments: A review Virah-Sawmy, D., Sturmberg, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Spatial compatibility between emerging marine economies and existing uses in the exclusive economic zone of southern Brazil Medeiros, J., Weiss, C., Scherer, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
Towards holistic, participative and adaptable governance for offshore wind farm decommissioning Jurrius, L., van Hoof, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
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
Large offshore wind farms have minimal direct impacts on air quality Golbazi, M., Archer, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Climate Change
Accelerating Offshore Wind: Developing a regional ecosystem monitoring programme for the UK offshore wind industry ORE Catapult Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions
Evaluation of the influence of offshore wind farm noise on the fishes and dolphins in the Pearl River Estuary Song, Z., Fu, W., Li, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Assessing the sustainability of Blue Economy activities using an ecosystem and life cycle-based approach: Possibilities, challenges and implications for an informed policy making De Luca Pena, L., Dewulf, J., Staes, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Legal & Policy, Life Cycle Assessment, Social & Economic Data
Offshore windfarm construction elevates metabolic rate and increases predation vulnerability of a key marine invertebrate Cones, S., Jézéquel, Y., Jarriel, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Invertebrates
Feasibility of strategic ornithological compensatory measures in the Scottish context Tapia-Harris, C., Evans, T. Report Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds
Acoustic telemetry suggests the lesser spotted dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula stays and uses habitats within a French offshore wind farm Labourgade, P., Couturier, L., Bourjea, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish
Transcriptomic analysis of the response mechanisms of black rockfish Wang, Y., Gong, K., Xie, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish
Feasibility of strategic ornithological compensatory measures in the Scottish context Tapia-Harris, C., Evans, T. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds
Environmental implications of future offshore renewable energy development in Aotearoa New Zealand Hale, R., Thompson, D., Brough, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Environmental Justice
Going digital: challenges in monitoring marine megafauna when comparing results from visual and digital aerial surveys Quéroué, M., Authier, M., Besnard, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Blocking effects on mean ocean currents by offshore wind farm foundations Carpenter, J., Guha, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Physical Environment
The flyway construct and assessment of offshore wind farm impacts on migratory marine fauna Secor, D., O'Brien, M., Bailey, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish, Pelagic Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
ORE Outlook 2040 - UK Offshore Renewable Energy in 2040: Building a Sustainable and Competitive ORE Sector on a Pathway to Net Zero by 2050 Greaves, D., White, D., Noble, D. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Climate Change, Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
New Horizons: The Space Needed for Offshore Wind Energy in the EU by 2030 and 2040 World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Marine infrastructure support fewer producers and more filter feeders than natural habitats: a review and meta-analysis McKibbin, O., Verges, A., Pottier, P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Ecological design of scour protection for offshore wind power Junquera Barbazán, P., Sudjada, S. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Physical Environment
Life on every stone: Characterizing benthic communities from scour protection layers of offshore wind farms in the southern North Sea Zupan, M., Coolen, J., Mavraki, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
NMFS West Coast Offshore Wind Energy Strategic Science Plan National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Marine biodiversity impact pathways for offshore wind farm decommissioning: Implications for Life Cycle impact assessment development Stranddorf, L., Colley, T., Delefosse, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment
Ensuring The Social License For Wind Projects In Latin America Global Wind Energy Council Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
Impacts of large-scale offshore wind farms on tropical cyclones: a case study of Typhoon Hato Zhang, P., Deng, S., Tuo, P-F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Physical Environment
Avoidance & Minimisation of Environmental Impacts from Offshore Wind & Grid Infrastructure Offshore Coalition For Energy & Nature (OCEaN) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
Visual fields, foraging and collision vulnerability in gulls (Laridae) Cantlay, J., Portugal, S., Martin, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds
Options for biodiversity-friendly designs and approaches for offshore wind farms in Ireland BlueWise Marine Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Technology Gaps for Monitoring Birds and Marine Mammals at Offshore Wind Facilities Courbis, S., Williams, K., Stepanuk, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Noise Birds, Marine Mammals
Influence of wind on kittiwake Rissa tridactyla flight and offshore wind turbine collision risk Davies, J., Boersch-Supan, P., Clewley, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Offshore wind farm operation contributed to a slight improvement in seawater quality along the Jiangsu Coast, China Wei, Z., Wang, M., Gao, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Chemicals Physical Environment, Water Quality
A synthetic analysis of post-construction displacement and attraction of marine birds at offshore wind energy installations Lamb, J., Gulka, J., Adams, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement Birds
Marine Delivery Routemap: Towards a shared vision for our seabed and coastline The Crown Estate Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning, Stakeholder Engagement
Musseling through: Mytilus byssal thread production is unaffected by continuous noise Wang, S., Ellrich, J., Beermann, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Noise Ecosystem Processes
The co-benefits of offshore wind under the UK Renewable Obligation scheme: Integrating sustainability in energy policy evaluation Pashakolaie, V., Cotton, M., Jansen, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Social & Economic Data
Collaboration or competition? Interactions between floating and fixed-bottom offshore wind in Norway Havinga, H.C., Adriaan van der Loos, H.Z., Steen, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Displaying 1 - 40 of 2910 results