Like any sea-related human activity, the construction of offshore wind parks has a negative impact on the natural environment and wildlife in the short term both above and below the sea surface due to loud noises, increased activity and changes in the environment.
In the long term, however, offshore wind is very beneficial, since it provides a highly effective way to produce great amounts of electricity with minimal greenhouse gas emissions.
It has probably escaped no one that we are in the middle of a climate crisis and a mass extinction. The current decade is crucial in terms of the energy transition where wind energy is a key factor. However, we shall not and will not sacrifice biodiversity while we mitigate the climate crisis. These issues must be handled and mitigated together.
Every wind power project requires carrying out a separate environmental impact assessment involving issues concerning marine and bird life in the planned areas. Choosing the right sites for constructing wind power and adjusting operations to the surrounding wildlife is pivotal. To optimize operations in terms of the environment, we can use automated systems that stop the turbines during periods when for example large amounts of birds are active in the area.
The latest report from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency regarding the impact on marine life can be found here:
”Effekter av havsbaserad vindkraft på marint liv”
The Finnish Environment Institute, Syke, has mapped the areas most suitable for the construction of offshore wind with respect to the marine environment.
Read more here:
New studies map areas where offshore wind can be developed without causing notable damage to the marine environment