Offshore wind farms have proven beneficial in giving clean energy used for various purposes in various fields over time. However, their construction, maintenance and operations impact marine life and the environment. The level of impact depends on the type of Offshore wind farm. The base of the wind turbine also plays a key role in influencing the degree of impact caused.
Habit Creation
The construction phase of offshore wind farms induces a new hard substrate which acts as artificial reefs on a flat sea bed. The disturbance caused during the wind turbine construction is only short-term, and the long-term creates 2.5 times more habitat. Sessile organisms, fish species, and intertidal organisms can use the habitat. It is therefore, crucial to ensure you have the right company like IQIP, to plan for the offshore wind farm construction project.
Increasing Biodiversity
An increase in biodiversity is also a result of the new habitats created during the construction phase of offshore wind farms. It is key in ecosystem health indicators. Abundant blue mussels on the turbine portion cause an increase in biological activity. The mussels act as a secondary hard substratum for colonization by other creatures. They filter organic matter from the water, which modifies their habitat.
Safe Space
Offshore wind farms provide refuge for species that are exploited for commercial purposes. The increase in biodiversity allows the attraction of the species to the Offshore wind farms and food subsequently. Fishermen avoid Offshore wind farms because of fear of collisions and entanglements, which minimizes the chances of fish thriving among the turbines to be harvested commercially.
Production of Clean and Sustainable Energy
Increased wind speeds and direction consistency imply that installation Offshore needs fewer turbines to generate a similar amount of Offshore wind energy as Onshore wind farms. Oceans give the most convenient location for building Wind farms in terms of openness and scale. Building more wind farms means more clean and sustainable energy is produced.
Minimum space requirement
Offshore wind farms require minimal space for the construction. The construction doesn’t require altering the environment in any way, unlike Onshore farms, which require levelling land, cutting down trees, moving wildlife and altering the landscape. It also doesn’t depend on any expandable resources like oil and coal.
The wind is usually obstructed in various ways above the land. The hills, buildings, mountains, and streams minimize the energy output. On the other hand, offshore wind farms have less obstruction as the turbines capture all the circling wind. The landscapes are also not affected in any way during energy generation.
Decarbonization
Offshore wind farms save tons of Carbon IV Oxide throughout the facility’s lifetime. An offshore wind farm can last for about 20-25 years. When generators of high efficiency and technology are used, it could save the planet tons of Carbon IV oxide, which in excess endangers marine animals and pose a threat to the environment.
Conclusion
Offshore wind farms have proven over time to be one of the most reliable, convenient and recommendable sources of energy with various benefits like providing reefs for ocean wildlife which provide habitat for Sessile organisms, fish species and intertidal organisms. It also increases biodiversity, providing refuge for commercially exploited species and playing a key role in decarbonization which otherwise can harm marine life.
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