Evaluating the effects of wind turbines on marine populations

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine says the impacts from offshore wind projects on the North Atlantic right whale and their ecosystems in the Nantucket Shoals region are difficult to distinguish from the effects of natural and other anthropogenic variability, including climate change. The report recommends further study and monitoring of the oceanography and ecology of the Nantucket Shoals region to fully understand the impact of future wind farms.

Offshore wind projects offer potential for growth in renewable energy production, especially along coastlines, but only two farms exist in the U.S. for observation, and limited research exists about their effect on oceanography and ecosystems. As wind blows across a turbine or wind farm,... ... More: Official Press Release National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Keywords:

report, National Academies, climate change, North Atlantic right whale, influence, Nantucket, wind farm, offshore, impact