Underwater Noise PURE WIND, Impact of sound on marine ecosystems from offshore wind energy generation

Informations

Funding country

Norway

Acronym

-

URL

-

Start date

1/1/2022

End date

12/31/2025

Budget

488,679 EUR

Fundings

Abstract

Offshore wind farms (OWF) contribute substantial levels of noise to the marine environment. In the 30 years of OWF operation in the EU waters, most research effort has been focused on understanding the impacts of construction of OWF, but our knowledge of noise in the operational phase is limited. We will address this gap by expanding our knowledge of the noise that emanates from OWF, as well as the ecological consequences of these operations. We will quantify key features of noise from fixed and floating OWF, as well as identify sensitive acoustic habitats. From the biological perspective, we will identify how seals and porpoises use areas around operating OWF, as well as study the impacts of OWF noise on zooplankton behavior. These efforts will advance our knowledge of the effects operational OWF noise has across pelagic food webs. Finally, we will synthesize knowledge and best practices from EU and international experiences with fixed OWF and transfer this into the development of policy, mitigation, and regulation for the floating OWF within national, EU and international frameworks. With expected substantial expansion in OWF infrastructure globally as part of the green shift, our data and approaches will help facilitate this transition while minimizing impacts on the marine ecosystems.