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: 3120
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
The Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan 2008-2015: From Inception through Implementation Smythe, T., Andrescavage, N., Fox, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Bird collisions at an offshore platform in the North Sea Hüppop, O., Huppop, K., Diersche, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Effects of Offshore Wind Farms on the Early Life Stages of Dicentrarchus labrax Debusschere, E., de Coensel, B., Vandendriessche, S. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Pelagic Fish
Northeast Large Pelagic Survey Collaborative Aerial and Acoustic Surveys for Large Whales and Sea Turtles Final Report Kraus, S., Leiter, S., Stone, K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Environmental impacts of offshore wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea: Environmental impact monitoring reloaded Degraer, S., Brabant, R., Rumes, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Offshore Wind Power for Marine Conservation Hammar, L., Perry, D., Gullström, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Marine Spatial Planning
Cumulative Adverse Effects of Offshore Wind Energy Development on Wildlife Goodale, W., Milman, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Physical Environment
Offshore Wind Farm Site Selection Study around Jeju Island, South Korea Kim, T., Park, J., Maeng, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Ecosystem Processes
Utilizing geological and geotechnical parameters to constrain optimal siting of Mid-Atlantic Bight offshore wind projects Ponte, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Seabird Counts at East Caithness Cliffs SPA for Marine Renewable Casework Swann, B. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
Scotland's Offshore Potential: Seizing the economic and employment opportunities from innovation in our offshore wind industry ORE Catapult Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Collision Risk Model for "rufa" Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa) Interacting with a Proposed Offshore Wind Energy Facility in Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts Gordon, C., Nations, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Shorebirds
A strategic policy framework for promoting the marine energy sector in Spain Vazquez, S., Astariz, S., Iglesias, G. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Offshore Wind Farm Wake Effect on Stratification and Coastal Upwelling Paskyabi, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Physical Environment
Valuation of Ecological and Amenity Impacts of an Offshore Windfarm as a Factor in Marine Planning Börger, T., Hooper, T., Austen, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Visual Impacts, Human Dimensions
Energy Systems and their Impacts on Marine Ecosystem Services Papathanasopoulou, E., Beaumont, N., Hooper, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Social & Economic Data, Ecosystem Processes
Three Dimensional Tracking of a Wide-Ranging Marine Predator: Flight Heights and Vulnerability to Offshore Wind Farms Cleasby, I., Wakefield, E., Bearhop, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Seabirds, Birds
Humber Gateway: Bird Detection Radar Pink-footed Goose Monitoring Autumn 2015 Jones, R., Peggie, C., Fouracre, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds
Subsea Cable Interactions with the Marine Environment NIRAS Consulting, Renewables Grid Initiative Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Engaging Communities in Offshore Wind: Case Studies and Lessons Learned from New England Islands Klain, S., MacDonald, S., Battista, N. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Report on the Implications for European Sites Proposed Hornsea Offshore Wind Farm (Zone 4) - Project Two The Planning Inspectorate for England and Wales Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind
Evolution of Marine Noise Pollution Management Dolman, S., Jasny, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Likelihood of a Marine Vessel Accident from Wind Energy Development in the Atlantic Copping, A., Breithaupt, S., Whiting, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Navigation, Human Dimensions
Does more wind energy influence the choice of location for wind power development? Assessing the cumulative effects of daily wind turbine encounters in Denmark Ladenburg, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Land-Based Wind Social & Economic Data, Human Dimensions
Data requirements and tools to operationalize marine spatial planning in the United States Stamoulis, K., Delevaux, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Consent Plan Piling Strategy Bellew, S. , Wilson, J., Wilson, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Fish, Marine Mammals
Offshore wind farms in Southern Europe – Determining tourist preference and social acceptance Westerberg, V., Jacobsen, J., Lifran, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Visual Impacts, Recreation & Tourism, Human Dimensions
The Scientific Validity of Criticisms made by the RSPB of Metrics used to Assess Population Level Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms on Seabirds Cook, A., Robinson, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
Influence of Concrete Mix Design on CO2 Emissions for Large Wind Turbine Foundations Berndt, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions
Statistical guidelines for assessing marine avian hotspots and coldspots: A case study on wind energy development in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean Zipkin, E., Kinlan, B., Sussman, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Seabirds, Birds
Challenges in Implementing Sustainable Marine Spatial Planning: The New Portuguese Legal Framework Case Santos, C., Orbach, M., Calado, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Marine Spatial Planning, Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions
A comparative assessment of proposed offshore wind power demonstration projects in the United States Bates, A., Firestone, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Social & Economic Data, Human Dimensions
Perceptions of fishers and developers on the co-location of offshore wind farms and decapod fisheries in the UK Hooper, T., Ashley, M., Austen, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Marine Licence Hywind Scotland Pilot Park The Scottish Government, Marine Scotland Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Birds, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Bat Activity at a Small Wind Turbine in the Baltic Sea Rydell, J., Wickman, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Bats
Sensitivity of the Mussel Mytilus edulis to Substrate-Borne Vibration in Relation to Anthropogenically Generated Noise Roberts, L., Cheesman, S., Breithaupt, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Marine Energy Noise Invertebrates
Maryland Offshore Wind Construction and Operations Plan: Appendix II D3- SAP Area Benthic Assessment Report ESS Group, LLC Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Physical Environment
Acoustic stress responses in juvenile sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax induced by offshore pile driving Debusschere, E., Hostens, K., Adriaens, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Fish
Right whale occurrence in the coastal waters of Virginia, U.S.A.: Endangered species presence in a rapidly developing energy market Salisbury, D., Clark, C., Rice, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
North Atlantic right whale occurrence near wind energy areas along the mid-Atlantic US coast: implications for management Hodge, K., Muirhead, C., Morano, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Displaying 1881 - 1920 of 3120 results