Even rock concerts are quieter: if you drive foundations into the
sea bed for large wind turbines, you will produce considérable
noise as ail concerned hâve known very well since the construction of the first wind farm at sea.
In order not to endanger marine mammals sensitive to noise, the
German offshore wind industry has undertaken a sériés of efforts
in the past years to reduce noise levels when installing foundations. At the same time, the approval authorities now demand
that precisely defined noise thresholds are adhered to.
In order to measure the background noise, employées from itap
engaged by wpd positioned hydrophones in two locations in the
intended construction site about one and a half métrés above the
sea bed with which they recorded the underlying noise of the sea
at different wind speeds.
As wpd had opted to use monopiles for the foundations which
are driven into the sea bed with a hydraulic hammer, it was clear
from the outset that there would be considérable noise exposure
during the pile-driving work.
Marine biologists as well as approval authorities and those
working in offshore wind power now agréé that the construction
of offshore wind farms causes short-term disturbances to the
fauna. They also agréé that marine mammals are not directly
damaged if the limits are met. Their hearing is not temporarily damaged nor do they lose their hearing completely. Whether
signifiant displacement of the population takes place below
these thresholds, is still a matter for discussion among experts. For this reason, the offshore industry is commissioning a
joint report in 2015 which will include ail the data hitherto collected in order to show that there is no long-term disturbance if
thresholds are adhered to.
As the Butendiek project area lies in an important area for the
porpoise population, wpd offshore solutions felt obliged from the
outset to take every option to ensure optimal noise mitigation.
94
sea bed for large wind turbines, you will produce considérable
noise as ail concerned hâve known very well since the construction of the first wind farm at sea.
In order not to endanger marine mammals sensitive to noise, the
German offshore wind industry has undertaken a sériés of efforts
in the past years to reduce noise levels when installing foundations. At the same time, the approval authorities now demand
that precisely defined noise thresholds are adhered to.
In order to measure the background noise, employées from itap
engaged by wpd positioned hydrophones in two locations in the
intended construction site about one and a half métrés above the
sea bed with which they recorded the underlying noise of the sea
at different wind speeds.
As wpd had opted to use monopiles for the foundations which
are driven into the sea bed with a hydraulic hammer, it was clear
from the outset that there would be considérable noise exposure
during the pile-driving work.
Marine biologists as well as approval authorities and those
working in offshore wind power now agréé that the construction
of offshore wind farms causes short-term disturbances to the
fauna. They also agréé that marine mammals are not directly
damaged if the limits are met. Their hearing is not temporarily damaged nor do they lose their hearing completely. Whether
signifiant displacement of the population takes place below
these thresholds, is still a matter for discussion among experts. For this reason, the offshore industry is commissioning a
joint report in 2015 which will include ail the data hitherto collected in order to show that there is no long-term disturbance if
thresholds are adhered to.
As the Butendiek project area lies in an important area for the
porpoise population, wpd offshore solutions felt obliged from the
outset to take every option to ensure optimal noise mitigation.
94