Offshore Wind Turbines: What are the Advantages and Disadvantages?
The harnessing of wind power dates back to the earliest of sailboats, but how are we using it now? Wind turbines have been our most recent innovation towards renewable energy, specifically wind energy. A wind turbine is a set of blades attached to an extended base that turns the motion of the turning blades into usable energy by using natural wind (EERE). Currently, there are many shapes, sizes, types, and configurations of wind turbines, but one of the recent developments has been offshore wind farms.
An offshore wind farm, or collection of wind turbines, is anchored in a body of water off the shoreline where winds are reliable and wind speeds are faster. The depths of where they are placed can vary, but generally, the deeper you go, the stronger the wind. Stronger winds and more energy aside, there are concerns about what they could mean for the environment. We'll explore these concerns and a possible solution.
Animal Impact
Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of wind turbines is their effect on the wildlife around them, birds especially. Since the introduction of wind turbines, bird deaths have increased. An example of this can be found in a Belgian study when the wind turbines were new. The lower turbines tended to be deadlier since 14,000 bird deaths were reported for heights 0-15 meters. That data is consistent with onshore numbers (Everaert et al. 3350). Understandably, it is crucial to understand how many birds are affected and why. Having wind turbines offshore increases the chance that many bird deaths could go unreported due to the differing environment (Brey).
As for aquatic life, the concerns are regarding added boat traffic and the extra noises and vibrations. As for any mechanism, repairs, and maintenance are expected. Unlike other wind turbines, offshore means that the only effective way to access them is by boat. Also known as vessel traffic, frequent ships in one area can be detrimental to wildlife, and the
