By Patricia Hilliard • Offshore Wind Committee Member
You may have noticed it. The oceans and bays are rising. Tides are rolling in higher than ever before. Shorelines are receding inland and beaches are disappearing. Glaciers are melting, rainfall is heavier, and storms are stronger. Floods are washing away homes in low-lying areas. Scientists explain that this is due to global warming. Those of us living in the industrialized world have burned so much coal and oil over the past 200 years that the smoke and carbon in the atmosphere have raised the earth’s temperature. According to EcoWatch, “The global ocean surface temperature reached 21.1°C (approximately 70°F) in early April, the highest recorded ocean surface temperature since records began.”
We need to do something now! One solution to avoid adding more carbon to the atmosphere is to use renewable energy, such as wind. The wind is fierce and frequent, especially over the seas. Can we harness it to produce the electricity we need?
Bastions of Undersea Life
Scientists are studying the effect of wind turbines on sea life. There are other human structures built in the oceans and bays that can be studied for answers. According to The Nature Conservancy, “Oceanographers and others have observed how submerged shipwrecks and bridges can become home to wide and colorful arrays of marine species, as have the underwater portions of many offshore wind turbines in Europe, China, and other parts of the globe.” The Nature Conservancy believes that with proper design and materials selection, wind turbines can support “entire communities of marine life.”
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation points out, “Of all the artificial reefs in the world, those made of submerged shipwrecks are the most common, but these reefs can also be made of rocks, cinder blocks, limestone, steel, concrete, and even wood. Bridges, lighthouses, and other offshore structures also often function as artificial reefs.” The foundation adds that artificial reefs not only attract fish and other wildlife but also help improve tourism, recreational fishing, and other commercial activities, although they do need to be managed carefully to avoid marine system harm.
But what about the whales? According to the Natural Resources Defense Council “… the sounds produced by offshore wind’s pre-construction surveys are much lower in energy than more powerful industrial sources, and tend to be highly directional, making it very unlikely that they drove the whales off New York and New Jersey to strand.”
The World Wildlife Fund states, “Whales and other marine mammals use sound to navigate, find mates, and find food in the often-dark waters of the ocean. Seismic noises, like the air gun used by oil and gas companies to explore for oil offshore, can be deafening for these species. Excessive ocean noise from oil and gas exploration and drilling could cause injury, confusion, and even death.” This is another reason to stop using fossil fuel and find ways to create renewable energy.
Is the Talk of More Jobs Just a Lot of Wind?
With the implementation of offshore wind energy, new types of jobs will be created. The wind turbines need to be manufactured, installed, and maintained, creating year-round revenue. Greater employment means income that encourages visits to beaches and recreation areas.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the wind industry will need many and various types of engineers, such as, electrical, mechanical, health and safety, and industrial. But it will also create other jobs. “The wind-energy supply chain requires the skills of many different production occupations, including machinists, computer-controlled machine tool operators, assemblers, welders, quality-control inspectors, and industrial production managers.”
Better Health too? If we are no longer burning coal and oil, the air quality will improve, which will reduce asthma, heart attacks, cancer, and other illnesses.
No Need to Worry! Some people worry that the faint view of distant wind turbines will destroy the beauty of the beach. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder! What child could resist the appeal of a handheld windmill? Similarly, tourists worldwide are discovering the fun of boat tours of offshore wind farms, which are particularly lucrative for their operators.