Reducing environmental impacts and construction costs at offshore wind farms

Description of impact

The role of offshore renewable energy is essential to UK efforts both to meet climate change targets and to provide energy security. At the same time, legislative requirements are in place to protect the marine environment. This team at the University of Aberdeen has led a programme of interdisciplinary research to explore the responses of key marine mammal populations to different stages of wind farm construction and operation, assessing the extent to which animals may be injured or displaced. Their findings have underpinned the development of novel and safe approaches to mitigating the effects of piling noise, leading to a reduction in the environmental impacts on marine mammals, improvements in the economic viability of offshore renewable energy schemes, influencing industry guidelines, leading to changes in construction practices, and informing national and international decision-making.

Themes

Aberdeen’s programme of research exploring the responses of key marine mammal populations to different stages of wind farm construction and operation has led to a reduction of environmental impacts to those marine mammals, improved the economic viability of offshore renewable energy schemes, influenced industry guidelines, leading to changes in construction practices, and informed national and international decision-making.

Impact status	Impact Completed (Open)
Impact date	2011 → 2022