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Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--An alternative type of foundation for offshore windfarms that avoids pile-driving, a technique that can be disruptive to marine mammals, appears safe to use, the U.S. federal government said.
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), part of the Interior Department, said Monday that it finished its review of so-called suction bucket foundations proposed for the Beacon Windfarm's lease area off the coast of Massachusetts.
"Suction bucket foundations are an alternative foundation type that allow for installation of turbines without the need for pile driving," the BOEM explained.
A 2022 article in the journal Nature found that pile-driving can have a "significant impact" on marine mammals, forcing species such as porpoises away from construction areas. Elsewhere, the sound from the practice can influence anything from social interactions and spawning among aquatic species.
Any offshore wind project seeking authorization from BOEM requires an environmental impact assessment related to underwater sounds.
"Based on the analysis in the environmental assessment, BOEM determined that the proposed testing will not cause significant impacts to environmental resources," the agency said. "Use of this new technology could minimize underwater noise from installation and allow for more flexibility around supply chain constraints."
BOEM's nod follows additional concerns expressed in a court order filed against Dominion Energy Incorporated's (NYSE:D) (Richmond, Virginia) Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project. A lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia argued there wasn't enough research on the environmental impacts of the project, particularly regarding the endangered North Atlantic right whale.
A dead North Atlantic whale, along with a newborn calf, was found near Virginia Beach earlier this year. Public speculation led to finger-pointing at the offshore wind energy sector, though the federal government finds most North Atlantic whales have died as a result of entanglement in fishing gear or from vessel strikes.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here to learn more about the CVOW project.
Beacon Wind is sited for an area situated about 20 miles off the coast of Massachusetts. At peak capacity, the project could generate 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of power through two separate wind energy facilities.
Up to 155 wind turbine generators could be included in the 128,000-acre area, as well as two high-voltage cables connected to the mainland. Subscribers can learn more by viewing by the project reports.
British energy company BP (NYSE:BP) (London, England) took full control of Beacon Wind in January when it swapped its 50% stake in the proposed Empire Wind project with Norway's Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) (Stavanger) in exchange for the latter's interest in Beacon Wind.
So far, the U.S. government has approved eight commercial-scale offshore wind projects, which would combine for a peak energy capacity of 10 GW. The federal government set of goal of establishing 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and another 15 GW in floating offshore capacity by 2035.
While the U.S. offshore wind sector is developing, it's still in the nascent phase. In terms of power generation, the government expects more energy to come from solar facilities than from wind. A new five-year lease plan, however, outlines 12 potential new areas for offshore wind energy.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), part of the Interior Department, said Monday that it finished its review of so-called suction bucket foundations proposed for the Beacon Windfarm's lease area off the coast of Massachusetts.
"Suction bucket foundations are an alternative foundation type that allow for installation of turbines without the need for pile driving," the BOEM explained.
A 2022 article in the journal Nature found that pile-driving can have a "significant impact" on marine mammals, forcing species such as porpoises away from construction areas. Elsewhere, the sound from the practice can influence anything from social interactions and spawning among aquatic species.
Any offshore wind project seeking authorization from BOEM requires an environmental impact assessment related to underwater sounds.
"Based on the analysis in the environmental assessment, BOEM determined that the proposed testing will not cause significant impacts to environmental resources," the agency said. "Use of this new technology could minimize underwater noise from installation and allow for more flexibility around supply chain constraints."
BOEM's nod follows additional concerns expressed in a court order filed against Dominion Energy Incorporated's (NYSE:D) (Richmond, Virginia) Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project. A lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia argued there wasn't enough research on the environmental impacts of the project, particularly regarding the endangered North Atlantic right whale.
A dead North Atlantic whale, along with a newborn calf, was found near Virginia Beach earlier this year. Public speculation led to finger-pointing at the offshore wind energy sector, though the federal government finds most North Atlantic whales have died as a result of entanglement in fishing gear or from vessel strikes.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here to learn more about the CVOW project.
Beacon Wind is sited for an area situated about 20 miles off the coast of Massachusetts. At peak capacity, the project could generate 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of power through two separate wind energy facilities.
Up to 155 wind turbine generators could be included in the 128,000-acre area, as well as two high-voltage cables connected to the mainland. Subscribers can learn more by viewing by the project reports.
British energy company BP (NYSE:BP) (London, England) took full control of Beacon Wind in January when it swapped its 50% stake in the proposed Empire Wind project with Norway's Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) (Stavanger) in exchange for the latter's interest in Beacon Wind.
So far, the U.S. government has approved eight commercial-scale offshore wind projects, which would combine for a peak energy capacity of 10 GW. The federal government set of goal of establishing 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and another 15 GW in floating offshore capacity by 2035.
While the U.S. offshore wind sector is developing, it's still in the nascent phase. In terms of power generation, the government expects more energy to come from solar facilities than from wind. A new five-year lease plan, however, outlines 12 potential new areas for offshore wind energy.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
