Impact of offshore wind farms on marine species

Date:

October 16, 2014

Source:

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Summary:

Offshore wind power is a valuable source of renewable energy that can help reduce carbon emissions. Technological advances are allowing higher capacity turbines to be installed in deeper water, but there is still much unknown about the effects on the environment. Scientists have now reviewed the potential impacts of offshore wind developments on marine species and make recommendations for future monitoring and assessment as interest in offshore wind energy grows around the world.

Continued ...

Migrating geese avoid offshore wind farms, says study

Pink-footed geese appear to be avoiding new offshore wind farms when returning to the UK, a study has suggested.

By monitoring the movement of the birds over four years, researchers were able to detect changes in flight patterns around two newly erected wind farms.

The results show that this species of geese, at least, identify wind farms as a threat and alter their flight to avoid turbine blades, the authors said.

The findings have been published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

Pawel Plonczkier and Ian Simms from the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) monitored migrating flocks of pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrynchus) using radar as they returned to a Lincolnshire shore.

Although the geese are known to identify potentially hazardous structures in open environments, the extent to which they would avoid obstructions was not known before this study.

Because geese have relatively limited manoeuvrability in flight and often migrate at night, the threat of colliding with wind turbines was perceived to be substantial.

Continued:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19208400