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: 3115
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Spatial assessment of benthic compensatory habitats for offshore wind farm impacts Ward, O., Aberson, M., Kirby, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Environmental Impact Assessment for the decommissioning of offshore wind farms Hall, R., Topham, E., João, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Vulnerability of pelagic seabirds to the introduction of offshore renewable energy infrastructure off the Irish coast Murphy, E., Jessopp, M. Research Study Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Boosting offshore wind skills for environmental professions Munro, P., Elliot, M., Mazik, K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions
To study the effect on marine ecosystems of noise emitted by offshore wind farms during construction and operation phases, is it relevant to focus on a few species? Henry, S., Ceyrac, L., Le Courtois, F. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Noise
RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ MR10 ANNÉE N+2 MAZIERE, H., LABORIE, J., Pineaux, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds
Powering Healthy Seas: Accelerating Nature Positive Offshore Wind Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Hornsea 2 Offshore Wind Farm Siemens Gamesa Project Site Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind
North Sea crossing by Eurasian Curlew: Timing and routes of Curlew migration in relation to offshore wind developments Collier, M., Potts, P., Hoodless, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Suivi par acoustique passive du bruit ambiant et de la fréquentation des mammifères marins dans le cadre de la construction du parc éolien en mer de SaintNazaire: Phase de construction : Mesure de Suivi N°8 Chompret, J., Bellanger, J., Clorennec, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix N1: Essential Fish Habitat Assessment INSPIRE Environmental Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix O1: Marine Mammal, Sea Turtle, and ESA-Listed Fish Assessment Stantec Consulting Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix P2: Post-construction Avian and Bat Monitoring Framework Wing Goodale, M., Gilbert, A., Stenhouse, I. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats, Birds
Sunrise Wind Construction and Operations Plan Stantec Consulting Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix J2: Onshore EMF Assessment Exponent Engineering P.C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix O3: Sea Turtle and ESA-listed Fish Protected Species Mitigation and Monitoring Plan LGL Ecological Research Associates, Inc. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix I3: Offshore In-Air Acoustic Assessment Stantec Consulting Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix N2: Ichthyoplankton Entrainment Assessment TRC Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix O2: Marine Mammal Protected Species Mitigation and Monitoring Plan Sunrise Wind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix L: Onshore Ecological Assessment and Field Survey Report Stantec Consulting Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish, Physical Environment
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix P1: Avian and Bat Risk Assessment Stantec Consulting Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats, Birds
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix J1: Offshore EMF Assessment Exponent Engineering P.C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles
Mapping the collision risk between two gull species and offshore wind turbines: Modelling and validation Mikami, K., Kazama, K., Kazama, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds
The Ongoing Conflict between Offshore Wind Farms and the Fishing Industry in the North Sea Reckhaus, N. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Reviewing the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms Galparsoro, I., Menchaca, I., Garmendia, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix I1: Underwater Acoustic Assessment Kusel, E., Weirathmueller, M., Koessler, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
The Potential Compatibility of Designating Offshore Wind Farms within Wider Marine Protected Areas—Conservation of the Chinese White Dolphin Regarding Fishers’ Perception Jhan, H-T., Lee, H-T., Ting, K-H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of California Commercial Fisheries from 2005 to 2019 and Potential Overlap with Offshore Wind Energy Development Wang, Y-H., Walter, R., White, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Do views of offshore wind energy detract? A hedonic price analysis of the Block Island wind farm in Rhode Island Dong, L., Lang, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Workshop Summary on Passive Acoustic Monitoring Data Standards and Management: March 7 and 9, 2022 Baker, K., Staaterman, E., Shumchenia, E. Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Noise Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Strategic Monitoring and its Approaches: Setting Out a General Definition and its Application Gregory, S., Lonsdale, J., Mulholland, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind
Generalized changes of benthic communities after construction of wind farms in the southern North Sea Coolen, J., Vanaverbeke, J., Dannheim, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates
The Atlantic surfclam fishery and offshore wind energy development: 2. Assessing economic impacts Scheld, A., Beckensteiner, J., Munroe, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Comparing distribution of harbour porpoise using generalized additive models and hierarchical Bayesian models with integrated nested laplace approximation Williamson, L., Scott, B., Laxton, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Assessing the Impact of Offshore Wind Power Deployment on Fishery: A Synthetic Control Approach Shimada, H., Asano, K., Nagai, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning, Social & Economic Data
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind COP Appendix II-L2: Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Presence Biodiversity Research Institute Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Chasing the offshore wind farm wind-wake-induced upwelling/downwelling dipole Floeter, J., Pohlmann, T., Harmer, A Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Offshore Wind Lease Issuance, Site Characterization, and Site Assessment: Central and Northern California Reeb, D., Schroeder, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Research progress and prospects of gliding robots applied in ocean observation Tian, B., Guo, J., Song, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Fish, Marine Mammals, Sediment Transport
Sunrise Wind COP Appendix I2: Onshore Acoustic Assessment Exponent Engineering P.C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise
Displaying 521 - 560 of 3115 results