The federal government of the United States has so far approved four offshore wind projects for the US East Coast, according to the American Clean Power Association.
About 15 miles (24 kilometers) off Martha's Vineyard, Vineyard Wind will erect 62 turbines that will provide enough electricity to run 400,000 households, as reported by The Associated Press.
Powering 70,000 Households
To power 70,000 households, South Fork Wind will erect 12 turbines offshore Long Island, New York, around 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Montauk Point.
Furthermore, the first of two Orsted projects in New Jersey, Ocean Wind I, will install 98 turbines roughly 15 miles off the coasts of Atlantic City and Ocean City and supply 500,000 homes with electricity. Two of the three offshore projects approved for New Jersey will be built by the firm, which is a Danish wind energy corporation.
These initiatives are in addition to the Revolution Wind development, which will have 65 turbines and power over 250,000 homes.
It will be located about 15 miles southeast of Point Judith, Rhode Island. Many more have been suggested, including the U.S. By 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management intends to evaluate at least 16 offshore wind developments.
Read also: Chinese Wind Energy Firm Installs Offshore Turbine in '30 Working Hours'
The Effects on Marine Life
Several effects that offshore wind power projects could have on fish and marine mammals are documented in research conducted jointly in March by two government scientific agencies and the commercial fishing industry. These effects include noise, vibration, electromagnetic fields, and heat transfer that could change the environment.
The analysis highlighted the intricacies of how the structures and cables might interact with marine life, similar to many other studies that have been done. Turbines, for example, can draw some fish but repel others.
According to the March study, smaller, bottom-dwelling marine creatures, including shellfish and crabs, quickly populate vast underwater platforms. These smaller organisms then draw larger predators, like black sea bass, to the area. Additionally, noise, vibrations, electromagnetic fields, turbid water from turbine operations, and other factors could cause species to migrate away from a region.
Most report authors concurred that additional research was required. Co-authors include Andy Lipsky, the team leader for wind energy at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center. According to him, the work aids agencies in defining the monitoring necessary for lengthy studies, and further research is needed to ascertain how offshore wind energy affects marine environments.
Other countries' research is likewise complex. Crabs and lobster are drawn to the stonier seabeds that hold wind turbines, according to certain European studies. Others, such as flatfish and whiting, were observed to depart from certain locations.
Additionally, noting "knowledge gaps" on the behavior of the animals, the Biden Administration provided a $850,000 grant in May to expand research on the critically endangered North American right whales' hearing capacities. The application was submitted "in support of the rapid development of offshore wind," according to a notice on the Grants.gov website.
Significant study has already been done. Since 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has posted six or more studies on its website annually; some of these studies asked for additional research and analysis.
Opponents accuse the U.S. of being responsible for or contributing to the deaths of 70 whales due to ocean bottom preparation. Ever since December, East Coast. However, three government agencies claim there is no proof linking the two.
The fishing industry in the United States, both commercial and recreational, is quite concerned about how offshore wind could affect operations in areas where fishing has long been possible with little interference.
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