What could possibly be causing an uptick in marine deaths related to Offshore Wind farms? Many factors may disrupt marine life, including noise, vibration, sonar, and more, many of which we are not aware of. Let’s scratch the surface of some of the data.
Observations on structural and operational issues that may cause problems with this technology;
- Offshore wind farms look like a sea of lightning rods! And yes, they are often hit by lightning, and even mitigating factors are not deterrent enough to stop Mother Nature’s force. According to the updated National Fire Protection Association handbook, “While physical blade damage is the most expensive and disruptive damage caused by lightning, by far the most common is damage to the control and damage to electronics.”
- Nor’easters and hurricanes. The eastern seaboard has its’ share of Cat 1-5 hurricanes and nor’easters. Offshore Wind will be a disastrous hazmat situation. I saw the full power of a Nor’easter in 1978 when the ocean pummeled Hampton Beach, where I lived. Steel girders at the sea wall were standing straight up, twisted like butter. Boulders the size of cars littered where Route 1A once was. This was onshore, and out to sea was much worse. A Cat 2 hurricane can have winds up to 115 mph, and a Cat 5 157 mph and higher. The wind turbines cannot handle anything above 55 mph when they shut down. Plus, they are vulnerable to storms. A study done by a pro-green group admits this out loud in an extensive paper done in 2012. Failure modes can include loss of blades and buckling of the supporting tower.
- Anyone who has stood in water and touched an electric fence knows that water is a conductor of electricity! What if a shark bites into a cable? And how will a team get even close to the scene to fix it? I’m not sure they have protocols for these. The cables becoming exposed on the ocean floor are an issue. Never mind the high voltage cables under beaches that eventually end up at a transfer plant, where humans congregate, especially in the summer.
- The technology is primarily coming from countries where we have no control over how the technology is fabricated, labor laws, and environmental laws.
- This technology has a short life span and huge environmental challenges for disposal, but I doubt the foreign installers will come back to retrieve the blades, turbines, towers, and cables once they are rendered useless.
The ocean is our last Wild West. We do not understand it enough to know all the problems that could happen to marine life and plants, not to mention human pollution.
We want to thank Julie P. for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
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Challenges and possible problems for marine life but not limited to:
Wind: Today’s wind blades can turn up to 180mph, with an average speed of about 100mph. They can only sustain wind speeds from at least a nine mph wind with minimum and maximum wind of 55mph. The sheer velocity causing vibration and noise can cause disruptions on the ocean surface and below.
Light flicker: On land, many domestic and wild animals are afraid of the light flicker caused by the blades. When the light flicker hits the ocean, it can be disruptive to marine life below.
Vibration: Wind Energy turbines are a fast-growing source of anthropogenic vibrational noise that can affect soil and animals sensitive to vibrations and thereby alter soil community functioning. Animals rely on different sensory stimuli to acquire and process information from their environment. The ability to acquire this information is essential for an animal’s reproductive success and survival. If this can cause problems for earthworms, what about ocean life?
Noise: The reported sound pressure levels of an operating turbine are 105–125 dB re 1 μPa measured at 100 m distance and –54 dB re 1 m s–2 sound particle acceleration at 20 m distance with most energy below 1,000 Hz. Most fish species can detect these pressure levels.
Electricity comes from cables carrying up to 690,000 volts of Electrical and Magnetic Field (EMF) traveling along the ocean floor, under beaches and roads. 12,000km of cable are needed to bring power to the shore off Long Island and NJ, which is the distance from NY to Tiapie.
Sonar is used to map locations for wind farms. It is used extensively in NJ and other states. Germany uses active sonar transponders to warn submarines. 3D sonar is being tested off Block Island on a wind farm there.
Excavation: the massive amount of drilling, pile driving, and rock involved in the excavation of offshore wind is directly affecting marine animals.
Hot Water into the Ocean: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Is releasing heated water back into the ocean. This sounds like insanity. I thought the goal was to curtail ocean warming, not make it worse. This is to cool the High Voltage Direct Current Cooling (HVDC). Only two offshore wind projects are using AC current because of its proximity to the shore. The design is much worse and details are in their report, see link below. “The most effective way to cool large HVDC systems is by using deionized water in a closed system. The deionized water is then cooled by seawater pumped through a heat exchanger, absorbing heat from the deionized water. This open loop cooling process allows continual operation of the HVDC converter. Sea water is filtered to remove small particles, sand, and other elements to about 500 microns. Chemicals, such as sodium hypochlorite, may be added to prevent growth in the system, with an estimated concentration of 10-200 parts per million as proposed for the Mayflower Wind project (Mayflower Wind Energy, LLC, 2021). The filtered, heated water is then discharged back into the ocean (Figure 1).”
Then there are problems like turbines exploding, oil leaks, waste from the blades in landfills since they are not recyclable and will last forever, disruption to fish migration and fishermen, the lifespan of the mechanics, servicing the windmills, and more we don’t even know about.
This is the short, most obvious list.
The following letter was sent from someone within the Army Corp of Engineers posted on a New Jersey ground zero for offshore wind farms whale deaths grassroots page. Virginia, NY, and Carolinas have grassroots groups to save their shores, as well.
https://protectourcoastnj.com/
“So you think Ocean Wind turbines will have NO IMPACT on the ocean?
They require carpet bombing the seafloor with sonar non-stop. Who uses sonar? Whales & dolphins.
Punch thousands of holes, 60′ wide by 100-150′ deep. (sorry scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, crabs, etc.)
Then, build caisons of steel and concrete. A caisson is a watertight structure which is used as an “anchor” for a foundation
Next: erect 1,000 ft wind turbines, with blades 180′ long, spinning at 180 mph. Turbine blades will slice up anything that happens to fly by.
The down draft from blades will impact the sea and waves below. Ever see a helicopter hover over water? Imagine that 24-7. The non-stop sound they emit won’t cause any problems-Right?
How Do Sharks and Rays Use Electricity to Find Hidden Prey? Animals that hide on the seafloor are often masters of disguise. But even the most evasive of prey cannot hide from hungry sharks and stingrays. These predators can detect tiny electric currents radiating from animals like shrimp and small fish. Without using their ears, nose, or eyes stingrays can locate and devour their prey.
Next: Dredge a trough 6 feet deep by 10 miles long back to the shore.
Lay the electrified cable. (Sorry sharks and rays) Re-bury that trough. A great thing for the ocean and it’s inhabitants?
Oh yeah, the onshore existing energy grid and stations can’t handle the incoming power. So, this will require multiple off shore “islands” to be built for new power sub-stations.
Now multiply this from New England to the Carolinas and beyond.
Hope you don’t like seafood. Scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels and crabs will be depleted beyond recognition.
Generations of fisherman. You’ll be going broke.”
What we do know:
In July of 2016, a federal appeals court ruled that the US Navy was wrongly allowed to use sonar in the nation’s oceans that could harm whales and other marine life.
Environmental groups, led by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), filed a lawsuit in San Francisco in 2012, arguing the approval violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act. But why has this become an issue? Sonar has been around for years. Evolution of surface ship sonar from the end of World War I until the present time; surface ship echo-ran systems have evolved since WW1 with systems that have lower operating frequencies, high transmitted power, and longer pulse lengths. According to the Navy’s own studies, Low Frequency Active (LFA) Sonar generates sounds up to 140 decibels even more than 300 miles away from the sonar source. Many scientists believe that blasting such intense sounds over large expanses of the ocean could harm entire populations of whales, porpoises and fish. What the Navy learned from the effects of sonar on marine mammals is severe hemorrhaging; sonar has been linked to hearing loss, deadly mass strandings, and interference with whales. Interestingly enough, the NRDC is actively promoting offshore wind as a solution to “dangerous greenhouse gases”!
This is why the Navy was forced to stop! Why are Offshore Wind developers allowed to use this damaging technology now? If they discovered this problem and banned the Navy from using it and prove there is a connection between sonar, noise, vibration, and marine mammal deaths! Why is this so hard to understand? The Green New Deal and its money, is why.
How does this relate to Offshore Wind Farms? See the diagram (complete links following chart) that puts East Coast wind farms in proximity to reported deaths of marine animals. The chart from Northeast Ocean Data is over a 20-year period. The interactive map shows most of the strandings between 2019 and 2020 when exploration (high use of sonar and construction) began in earnest for the Offshore wind farms shown on the left map.
https://efifoundation.org/insights/siting-isnt-simple-for-offshore-wind/
Migratory birds are also taking a hit.
As reported by The Telegraph: “Data from German scientists looked at the number of red-throated loons in the North Sea before and after the installation of five offshore wind farms.
“Numbers of the birds were found to be up to 94 per cent lower within half a mile of the wind turbines, on average, after they were built.
For a decade, studies into “Wind Turbine Syndrome” have shown bone metabolism in farm animals. Who’s surprised it could be responsible for marine animal problems?
Competing Coastline Use:
From the EIF foundation (EIF): “Another factor limiting offshore wind potential on the West Coast is that some coastline areas are already claimed for other uses, including military operations and environmental sanctuaries. The U.S. military has mostly blocked offshore wind development in southern California (except for Morro Bay and Diablo Canyon regions) over concerns that turbines may interfere with aerial and coastal training at military bases.
Wildlife sanctuaries (including Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary) occupy much of the central California coast and northern Washington, further limiting West Coast installation for offshore wind. There is potential for offshore wind farms to protect ocean ecosystems by preventing other maritime activity in the area, although scientists have yet to fully understand the impacts of offshore wind on ecosystems. Why are we jumping in with both feet on the East Coast? It sounds like if it is related to Green energy, we suddenly have blinders on! If the offshore wind is so harmful to wildlife sanctuaries, marine activities, and the military!
Why is it all over the East Coast and not the West Coast?
Source: https://efifoundation.org/insights/siting-isnt-simple-for-offshore-wind/
Two key landmark court decisions:
1. French Council of State annuls wind turbine permits, major impact on energy future
Paris, March 9, 2024 – In a landmark decision, the French Council of State has ruled that authorizations for onshore wind turbines and rules for the renewal of wind farms are illegal. The decision comes after a legal challenge brought by the Fédération Environnement Durable and 15 associations.
Consequences:
Projects under review or authorized but not yet built: These projects must imperatively undergo a complete environmental assessment.
Existing wind farms: All wind farms built on the basis of the now-illegal ministerial decrees should no longer be authorized to operate in their current state.
Reasons for the cancellation:
Lack of environmental assessment: The Council of State found that the ministerial decrees on noise measurement did not undergo an environmental assessment, which is a violation of the law.
Lack of public participation:
The Council of State also highlighted that the decisions approving the noise protocol were not subject to public participation, violating the principles of participation and transparency.
Reactions:
Environmental associations: Environmental associations welcome the decision of the Council of State, calling it a major victory for environmental protection, the health of local residents, and respect for the law. They point to the systematic disregard of these laws by the public authorities, whose sole objective was to impose the installation of wind turbines that are increasingly rejected by the population, especially in rural areas.
State: The State has been ordered to pay compensation to the plaintiff associations.
Impact on the French energy future:
The decision of the Council of State will have a crucial impact on the future of French energy. The development of onshore wind energy is now being slowed down, pending the implementation of new authorizations and rules that comply with the law. This decision also raises questions about the viability of ongoing projects and the future of existing wind farms.
2. March 8, 2024, The Yurok Tribe posted the following announcement to its Facebook page Wednesday evening, just hours after news broke that Crowley Wind Energy plans to let its partnership agreement with the Harbor District expire without signing a lease to develop a heavy-lift marine terminal on the Samoa Peninsula:
[On Wednesday], the Yurok Tribal Council voted to formally oppose the development of floating offshore wind energy projects off the Yurok Coastline.
The Tribal Council opposes offshore wind for the following reasons:
The 900-foot-tall offshore wind turbines will indelibly tarnish sacred cultural sites from the coast to the high country.
There is insufficient scientific research on the adverse environmental impacts associated with the massive floating wind turbines and platforms.
The Tribe is gravely concerned about potential risks to the interlinked ecosystem extending from the deep ocean to the headwaters of the Klamath River.
The federal government has not recognized the Yurok Tribe’s unceded ocean territory or its sovereign authority to determine whether and how this territory should be developed.
Wind power has been with us for centuries. The Amish and remote farms still use wind for energy and wells. But on a grand scale, it just doesn’t make sense compared to natural gas, nuclear, and oil. I don’t believe wind power is without a carbon footprint like the propaganda says. But like everything “green energy” lately, not enough research is done before implementation. We hear about birds and bats confused on land, some end up victims to the blades. Whales “mysteriously” washing up on shores, no disease, propeller strikes or fishing nets.
We are told it is climate change, but let’s be real. I question the logic and testing and the potential harm to marine ecosystems. We need to get answers before more harm is done in the name of “green” energy and climate change. Where I get all bound up is the shift from the “Save the Whales” and Greenpeace activists who would literally throw themselves in front of ships to save whales too, “It’s green, so it must be ok”? The problem now is now that Biden has thrown millions into the Green New Deal just for offshore wind.
Companies are making bank, and the heck with a few whales… People get paid to shut up, the MSM machine starts pushing propaganda, and who’s the wiser? In Maine, one whale washed up due to entanglement, and the fishermen were attacked.
Ten mysteriously wash up on shore in 10 days, and the offshore wind is moving ahead at flank speed. The BOEM has just released the Gulf of Maine wind energy area that will directly impact Mass, NH, and Maine. Not one mention or study of impacts on the ecology! The impact area includes not only fishing areas but also whale migratory paths and Right Whale foraging areas.
Documented strandings on the east coast 2023:
This only lists whales washed onshore and not animals dead drifting or other marine life. Some data can be found on NOAA, but it is limited. Most reporting is from local news.
December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 summary: Dead Large whales, East Coast. 85
(“unknown” is when it was sighted, but never made it to land, and they could not confirm type) Maine-10: 8 minke, 1 humpback, 1 fin; MA-17: 8 minke, 6 humpback, 1 sperm whale, 2 unknown; RI-3: 2 humpback,1 fin; NY-18: 4 minke, 9 humpback, 2 sperm whale. 1 unknown; NJ-14: 2 minke, 11 humpback, 1 unknown; MD- 1:1 humpback; VA-10: 1 right whale, 2 minke, 6 humpback, 1 fin; NC-9: 1 right whale, 1 sei whale, 2 sperm whale, 5 humpback; FL-3: 3 sperm whales.
Save the Whales, No – Save The Wind!
Save the Whales, No – Save The Wind! Part 2: FOLLOW THE MONEY
