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

Affiliated Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Total results: 538
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Offshore Wind Facts: Birds and Bats Special Initiative on Offshore Wind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Lighting, Noise Bats, Birds
Offshore Wind Facts: Property Values and Visual Impacts Special Initiative on Offshore Wind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Recreation & Tourism, Visual Impacts
Primary vs grey: A critical evaluation of literature sources used to assess the impacts of offshore wind farms Szostek, C., Edwards-Jones, A., Beaumont, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Offshore Wind Facts: Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles Special Initiative on Offshore Wind Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Using Available Data and Information to Identify Offshore Wind Energy Areas Off the California Coast [2024] Rockwood, R., Salas, L., Howar, J. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Observational and Modeling Approaches for Assessing Impacts of Offshore Wind Development on California Current Upwelling: Workshop Summary Kearns & West Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes
Towards sustainable decommissioning: The importance of lifespan extension and standardisation Natuur & Milieu Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change
What are the potential effects of offshore wind farms on coastal fish and their essential habitats? Henry, S., Couturier, L., Darnaude, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Chemicals, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Fish
Conditions for nature friendly and circular decommissioning Natuur & Milieu Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
The global impact of offshore wind farms on ecosystem services Watson, S., Somerfield, P., Lemasson, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Planet Wind Documentary Evans, A. Video Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind
A Numerical Modeling Framework to Evaluate Effects of Offshore Wind Farms on California’s Coastal Upwelling Ecosystem Raghukumar, K., Nelson, T., Chang, G. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Physical Environment
Geese migrating over the Pacific Ocean select altitudes coinciding with offshore wind turbine blades Weiser, E., Overton, C., Douglas, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Waterfowl
A synthesis of socioeconomic and sociocultural indicators for assessing the impacts of offshore renewable energy on fishery participants and fishing communities Willis-Norton, E., Mangin, T., Schroeder, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Displacement Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Social & Economic Data
Life cycle carbon footprint accounting of an offshore wind farm in Southeast China—Simplified models and carbon benchmarks for typhoons Sun, Z., You, X. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment, Stakeholder Engagement
Assessing areas suitable for offshore wind energy considering potential risk to breeding seabirds in northern Japan Obane, H., Kazama, K., Hashimoto, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
Floating Offshore Wind and Colocation and Coexistence Risks and Opportunities Whaley, C., Greig, C., Eatough, L. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
BOEM and NOAA North Atlantic Right Whale and Offshore Wind Strategy BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs, US Department of Commerce (DOC), NOAA Fisheries Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Marine Mammals
Passive acoustic monitoring for assessing marine mammals population in European waters: Workshop conclusions and perspectives Michel, M., Guichard, B., Béesau, J. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Can floating offshore wind farms pose a risk of entanglement and injury to marine megafauna? Henry, S., Heerah, K., Jung, J-L. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Entanglement
An Eulerian perspective on habitat models of striped bass occurrence in an offshore wind development area Rothermel, E., O'Brien, M., Best, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Displacement Fish, Pelagic Fish
Using fisheries-dependent data to investigate landings of European lobster (Homarus gammarus) within an offshore wind farm Thatcher, H., Stamp, T., Moore, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Habitat Change Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Floating Offshore Wind: Overcoming Seafloor Challenges Rebuck, N., Doolittle, D., Jones, C. Report Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind
The effect of offshore wind farms on the variation of the phytoplankton population Kordan, M., Yakan, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Stakeholder insights into embedding marine net gain for offshore wind farm planning and delivery Edwards-Jones, A., Watson, S.C.L., Szostek, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Overlap between the Mid-Atlantic Bight Cold Pool and offshore wind lease areas Horwitz, R., Miles, T., Munroe, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
A synthesis review of nature positive approaches and coexistence in the offshore wind industry Pardo, J., Aune, M., Harman, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Grand Challenges Revisited: Wind Energy Research Needs for a Global Energy Transition Veers, P., Dykes, K., Baranowski, R. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts
Recommendations for Evaluating the Use of Existing Baseline Observational Survey Data for Birds in Offshore Wind Site Characterization Processes for the U.S. Atlantic Avian Displacement Guidance Committee Guidance Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds
Life Cycle Assessment of Four Floating Wind Farms around Scotland Using a Site-Specific Operation and Maintenance Model with SOVs Struthers, I., Avanessova, N., Gray, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Climate Change, Life Cycle Assessment
Whispers in the Wind: Ethical dimensions of social conflict in offshore wind Oliveira, R. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Environmental Justice
Exploration of potential collaboration on preventive, mitigation and compensation measures van der Kamp, M., Brekelmans, M., Verweij, L. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Quick scan of cumulative impacts on the North Sea biodiversity: with a focus on selected species in relation to future developments in offshore wind energy Jongbloed, R., Tamis, J., van der Wal, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Fish, Human Dimensions
Med OCEaN Recommendations to ensure nature-friendly offshore wind and grid development with robust and timely Maritime Spatial Planning Offshore Coalition For Energy & Nature (OCEaN) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Impact of geophysical and geotechnical site investigation surveys on fish and shellfish Duffy, O., Chumbinho, R., Coca, I. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Noise Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
A holistic tool to assess the cost and environmental performance of floating offshore wind farms Ferreira, V., Benveniste, G., Rapha, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment, Social & Economic Data
Further development of marine mammal dynamic energy budgets models for application to environmental assessments and integration into the iPCoD framework Harwood, J., Chudzinska, M., Booth, C. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Marine Mammals
Morphological Modelling to Investigate the Role of External Sediment Sources and Wind and Wave-Induced Flow on Sand Bank Sustainability: An Arklow Bank Case Study Creane, S., O'Shea, M., Coughlan, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Spatiotemporal Variations of Ocean Upwelling and Downwelling Induced by Wind Wakes of Offshore Wind Farms Liu, K., Du, J., Larsén, X. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Physical Environment
Seabird tagging feasibility for the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy Cook, A., Pollock, C., Bogdanova, M. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Birds, Seabirds
Displaying 41 - 80 of 538 results