The following is a reposting of a heart-rending piece which reflects my own thoughts and experiences regarding not clean nor green wind installations and the industrialisation of our sacred wild spaces which has and is causing great harm.
I have also included below further information regarding the tragic beaching of whales around the world as a result of the use of sonar by wind developers, the military, the oil and gas industry along with marine travel.
“…who in their right mind thinks that building huge industrial wind farms in pristine natural environments is in any way acceptable? … gradually, more and more people are wondering just who is benefitting from this industrialisation of our sacred places…”
Isle of Lewis, soon to be the location for offshore wind farms. Photo by by gren from Pixabay
July 16th, 2023 - Lewis, Western Isles:
The terrible sight of 55 Pilot whales washed up dead and dying on a remote Scottish beach caused a deep sense of sadness that resonated around the world.
July 20th, 2023:
A Minke whale is found dead on the very same stretch of sand.
It’s clearly no co-incidence that the whales perished in the same location, but what was the cause?
Although theories abound as to why these great mammals stranded, there is one glaringly obvious possibility that most people do not want to face - that noise caused by nearby windfarm survey work affected the whales’ delicate sonar, disorienting them and leading to their demise.
Scotland’s Wild Isles And The March Of Industry
This latest mortality event once again raises the question of whether it is ever appropriate or acceptable to construct such massive industrial developments in unspoiled natural environments, in the midst of irreplaceable habitat for some of the world’s most threatened wildlife.
The answer is surely a resounding ‘no’.
The wind farm in question, somewhat romantically called “Spiorad na Mara” (it’s Gaelic for ‘Spirit of the Sea’), is to be constructed in a pristine marine setting just a few kilometers off the coast of the beautiful Isle of Lewis, in Scotland’s Western Isles.
Survey work, on behalf of the wind farm’s owner, is being carried out ahead of construction. Some connection between these surveys and the recent spate of whale deaths wouldn’t be surprising to many, similar cetacean mortality events have been occurring around the world, often coinciding with wind farm operations. Indeed it is openly acknowledged in planning applications for offshore wind, and in the accompanying environmental assessments, that cetaceans are likely to be harmed in the course of surveying and constructing these controversial developments.
Sonar, a ‘most plausible and likely trigger’ for strandings
It was established several years ago that sonar technology, similar to that employed by the wind farm survey vessels, could be attributed as the cause for mass whale strandings, including one well documented event involving 100 whales in Madagascar in 2008. This is because cetaceans rely on their own natural sonar to navigate and locate food. Artificial noise in the ocean can detrimentally affect this delicate mechanism. In the Madagascar case it was suggested that a multi-beam echosounder system operated by a survey vessel contracted by ExxonMobil was likely to blame for confusing the animals, driving the whales into a shallow lagoon. In 2013, an independent scientific review into the Madagascar stranding concluded that “While aspects of the stranding remain unknown, the panel concluded that a multi-beam echosounder system, operated intermittently by a survey vessel moving down the shelf-break the day before the event was the most plausible and likely behavioral trigger for the animals initially entering the lagoon system.”
It should be noted that acoustic surveying is used by several diverse industries and services, for example the hydrocarbon industry and the military, in addition to wind energy companies. So the same cautionary findings are relevant to all of those who operate this kind of technology in our oceans.
The USA
Prior to these latest Scottish strandings, much recent focus has been on the other side of the Atlantic, where increasing numbers of whales have been washing up dead on beaches in the North Eastern United States, coinciding with survey work being carried out offshore on behalf of the wind industry. Supporters of the big wind companies deny there’s any connection, claiming that something else must be causing the mammals to beach.
Isle of Lewis
Back to the Isle of Lewis, the co-owners of the planned Spiorad na Mara wind farm, a Canadian company Northland, have a licence to carry out survey work in the area - including during the period around the time of the whale deaths - and in their licence application, submitted by their UK entity Northland Sheena Limited to the Scottish government, they were open about the fact that their proposed work could detrimentally affect marine mammals. Indeed the licence itself grants permission “to disturb or injure marine European protected species”
Northland’s application suggested that their surveys could ‘disturb or harass’ the following numbers of several species:
8 Beaked Whales, 6 Bottlenose Dolphins, 252 Harbour Porpoises, 44 Pilot Whales, 15 Minke Whales, 157 Risso’s Dolphins, 109 Common Dolphins, 4 Striped Dolphins, and 177 White-beaked Dolphins. (they said that these figures represent “the worst-case number of individuals of each species present within the Survey Area that may be impacted”)
The equipment proposed for carrying out the surveys comprised five different components, including a Multi Beam Echo Sounder, presumably similar to the one believed responsible for the mass stranding in Madagascar, referred to earlier.
Northland say in their application that “The equipment used in the proposed survey that has potential to cause the biggest potential impacts are the Sub Bottom Profiler (SBP) and Ultra-short Baseline (USBL) due to the frequency they operate at.”
Energy Crisis
It’s understandable that those in power are desperate to find a solution to the world’s deepening energy crisis. Wind energy has been held up by proponents as the ideal solution to the worldwide demand for electricity, and the public has bought into the idea - so much so that some people seem afraid to criticise the industry, in spite of the signs that suggest something is very wrong with the current plan.
Whales washing up dead, bird populations plummeting, mass crustacean die-offs, large numbers of bats killed by turbines - these are all indicators that the frenetic expansion of wind farm schemes around the world must be paused while more urgent research is carried out into the potentially catastrophic damage they are causing.
Common sense (and science)
Let’s just use some common sense here, in addition to the science, there is at least a potential connection between the offshore wind industry and whale deaths. It is frankly obvious to anyone who isn’t either heavily invested in the schemes or hoodwinked by the greenwashing.
And we mustn’t forget that it is an industry, these energy companies are not there for the benefit of you, your community or even your country in many cases, they exist to make a profit.
That doesn’t make it wrong necessarily, but it is misleading for those companies to claim that their projects are somehow ‘green’ and that they will help in any significant long term way to reduce global warming and address the climate crisis. And so far their schemes don’t seem to result in lower electricity bills either. But perhaps the cruellest betrayal of all is the claim that wind farms are somehow beneficial to wildlife - this is an assertion that has been peddled by some industry supporters who point to the ‘thriving ecosystems’ around the bases of offshore wind turbines, while they will recklessly ignore the immense damage caused to almost all forms of life during planning, construction and operation of the huge banks of turbines filling our seas.
In spite of the clear warning signs that this industry is harming marine wildlife, construction continues at a rapid pace. It is hugely irresponsible, perhaps little more than a cynical race for money before people wise up and begin to question the integrity of an industry that wilfully destroys ancient ecosystems and natural environments, and all in the name of green energy.
Collateral damage?
Some might say that such collateral damage is acceptable in our quest for renewable energy. I disagree, strongly. Aside from the reckless desecration of unique natural beauty, the tragic sight of dead whales on a beach is perhaps the saddest metaphor for humankind’s stupidity and selfish greed.
Clumsy development in beautiful places
To those in power, who give the green light to projects such as Spiorad na Mara, I would respectfully ask this question: who in their right mind thinks that building huge industrial wind farms in pristine natural environments is in any way acceptable?
It’s unethical and profane.
Indeed, it’s not only offshore environments that are being damaged. Highly controversial plans for large scale onshore wind farms are causing much heartache for communities on other Scottish islands, from Shetland to Skye, where timeless wilderness will soon become a vast industrial estate, changing the landscape forever. And the UK governments in England and Wales too seem determined to push the agenda further in those countries.
But the tide of public perception is turning. Gradually, more and more are wondering just who is benefitting from this industrialisation of our sacred places, as well as questioning whether this is progress or just a short term, highly damaging stop gap.
One thing is for certain, if we allow it to continue unchallenged, we face an ecological disaster.
N.B. I have no agenda other than a genuine love for this amazing planet.
I am not paid by anyone to write this.
I’m not a ‘shill’ for the nuclear industry, nor the fishing industry, nor any government or political party.
I’m an independent citizen of this incredible planet, with a strong desire to leave a world as wonderful for future generations as it has been for me.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company.
All information is provided on an as-is basis. It is the reader’s responsibility to verify their own facts.
The potential effects on the environment and marine life of the sound generated by the construction and operation of wind farms also need to be considered when siting wind turbines.
When selecting a location for an offshore wind farm, the water depth and seafloor characteristics need to be evaluated. The type of wind turbine determines the water depth that is acceptable for its placement. Stationary wind turbines are usually located in water depths of less than 20 meters, whereas floating wind turbines can be placed in depths over 200 meters. Water depth is most often measured with underwater acoustics, using equipment such as an echosounder.
Water depth is an important consideration when constructing an offshore wind turbine. As water depth increases, different types of foundations are needed for a stable wind turbine. Figure credit: J. Schneider after NREL.
Seafloor characteristics determine how difficult it would be to construct a wind farm at that location. In regions where there is little sediment over the bedrock extensive drilling is required to install wind turbines, whereas pile driving for turbine installations is easier in areas where the sediment layer is deeper. Underwater acoustics is used to map and characterize ocean sediments, using equipment such as multibeam echosounders and side scan sonars.
Construction and operation of offshore wind farms create unwanted sound or noise. How much this noise will contribute to the existing ambient noise in a region is an important area of research. Dr. Jim Miller at the University of Rhode Island has measured the existing sound field off Block Island, Rhode Island, the proposed location of an offshore wind farm. Using measurements of the noise from one turbine in an offshore wind farm off Sweden, he estimated the amount of noise the proposed wind farm would add to the ambient noise off Block Island (for more information, please see the Advanced Topic on Noise Budgets). To learn more about this research, please visit the podcast at: https://coseenow.net/podcast/tag/alternative-energy/.
There is also the concern of the potential effects of the construction and operation of wind farms on marine life. While construction operations are very loud and may temporarily affect marine animals, long-term increases in ambient noise due to the operation of a wind farms could cause masking that might affect feeding and reproduction. Measurements of the noise from the pile-driving construction of a wind farm off Scotland estimated that bottlenose dolphins would experience auditory injury within 100 m and behavioral reactions at distances of up to 50 km from the wind turbines[1]. Harbor porpoises have been shown to decrease their echolocation activity during construction[2]. Harbor porpoises were also masked by operational noise when sound levels were at 128 dB at 0.7, 1.0, and 2.0 kHz, but not at sound levels of 115 dB[3]. It is believed that harbor porpoises would hear operational noise at distances of 20 to 70 m, whereas harbor seals would hear operational noise at less than 100 m up to several kilometers[4]. More studies on the effects of wind farms are needed, particularly as new turbines are designed.
“Activities during all phases of wind farm lifetimes produce underwater sound, a concern because high noise levels and/or persistent anthropogenic noise can impact marine life in many ways. Here, we review the current understanding of impacts of wind energy activities on fisheries resources, taking into account the varied noise conditions that occur from site survey to decommissioning. For certain portions of wind farm development, such as construction and operation, there is a small amount of available data that allows stakeholders to evaluate impacts for at least some taxa. Yet, we are data deficient for most species’ populations, life stages, and other phases as they relate to wind farm development. Thus, it is difficult to evaluate impacts with any certainty, underscoring the need for further studies to adequately address impacts of offshore wind farms on vulnerable and ecologically and economically important taxa.
Underwater sound recording of impact pile driving with a drop hammer (i.e., a gravity driven pile driver). Sounds were measured using a calibrated reference hydrophone at a distance of 10m from the pile. Sound credit: JASCO Applied Sciences, jasco.com. Note: this sound has not been released under a creative commons license.
Lillgrund Wind Farm off the coast of Sweden. Photo credit: Mathias Andersson
Birds of course also use their own unique sonar abilities for navigating, especially when they are migrating. There has been great concern here in the relatively small British Isles of the impact of the rapidly increasing proliferation of industrial wind turbines onshore and offshore, including when Starlings for example are crossing the English Channel from Africa to winter in the UK and then return.
By Sabrina Weiss • 12 March 2019 • British Ecological Society
University of Lisbon press release
A new study, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, shows that the impact of wind power production on wildlife may be greater than previously acknowledged; a radius of about 650-700m around each wind turbine corresponds to flight space lost for soaring birds.
The authors recommend the development of new regulatory measures to reconcile wildlife conservation with wind energy production to apply in areas that are important for the migration of these birds.
Please note the following information about the mass beaching of whales and their absolutely tragic deaths in Western Australia which was published yesterday.
Volunteers working to save nearly 100 beached whales in Australia, but more than half have died.
In this photo provided by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, a pod of long-finned pilot whales gather closely near Cheynes Beach east of Albany, Australia, July 25, 2023, before stranding [DBCA via AP]
Published by Al Jazeera • 26 July 2023
Volunteers worked frantically for a second day to save dozens of pilot whales stranded on a beach in Western Australia, but more than 50 have already died.
Nearly 100 long-finned pilot whales stranded themselves on the beach by the city of Albany, on the southern tip of Western Australia, south of Perth, on Tuesday.
They were first spotted swimming on Tuesday morning near Cheynes Beach east of Albany. As the day progressed, the pod began moving closer to the beach, sparking the concern of conservation officers. By 4pm, a large stretch of the shoreline was covered in beached whales.
Reece Whitby, Western Australia’s environment minister, said it was particularly frustrating because it is unknown why the phenomenon occurs.
“What we’re seeing is utterly heartbreaking and distressing,” he told reporters. “It’s just a terrible, terrible tragedy to see these dead pilot whales on the beach.”
He said 52 whales had perished, and volunteers were doing what they could to try and save 45 still alive.
“People are committed to doing what they can to save as many whales as they can,” Whitby said.
Western Australia state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions set up an overnight camp to monitor the whales.
Peter Hartley, a manager from the department, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp that the volunteers were trying to get the living whales back into the water and encourage them to swim away.
“We are optimistic that we will save as many as we can,” Hartley said.
In this photo provided by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, a pod of long-finned pilot whales gather closely near Cheynes Beach east of Albany, Tuesday, before stranding [DBCA via AP]
The team helping the whales includes Perth Zoo veterinarians and marine fauna experts. They have been using specialised equipment, including vessels and slings.
Hundreds of volunteers also offered to help – so many that officials said they had enough registered volunteers and urged other members of the public to stay away from the beach.
Drone footage released by the department showed the whales clustering and forming into a heart shape before stranding themselves on the beach.
Pilot whales are notorious for their strong social bonds, so when one whale gets into difficulty and strands, the rest usually follow, according to marine experts.
‘We just don’t know’
Wildlife experts said the whales’ unusual behaviour could indicate stress or illness within the pod. Pilot whales are highly social animals and often maintain close relationships with their pods throughout their lives.
Macquarie University wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta said the drone footage could suggest the whales had become disoriented, although she said the exact reasons for mass strandings remain unclear.
“The fact that they were in one area very huddled, and doing really interesting behaviours, and looking around at times, suggests that something else is going on that we just don’t know,” she said.
Pirotta said she thought it unlikely the whales were trying to avoid a predator.
“They often have a follow-the-leader type mentality, and that can very much be one of the reasons why we see stranding of not just one but many,” Pirotta added.
The incident is reminiscent of one in September, where some 200 pilot whales died after a pod stranded itself on the remote west coast of Tasmania, off Australia’s southeastern coast.
The following month, nearly 500 pilot whales died after stranding themselves on two remote beaches in New Zealand.
When naval ships and other sea vessels use sonar, many whale species flee for their lives; some even strand themselves on beaches in a desperate attempt to escape. Now, scientists have discovered the most likely reason: The loud sounds trigger the same fear response as when the animals hear calls emitted by one of their most terrifying predators: killer whales.
“It’s a great study,” says Robin Baird, who investigates the effects of sonar on dolphins and whales (collectively known as cetaceans) at Cascadia Research Collective, a marine science nonprofit. The work should help scientists predict which species are most susceptible to humanmade sounds, says Baird, who was not involved with the project.
Scientists know some cetaceans, such as harbor porpoises and beaked whales, flee from sonar, whereas others, such as pilot whales, seem indifferent. To figure out why, Patrick Miller, a marine biologist at the University of St. Andrews, and colleagues attached sound and dive recording tags (with suction cups) to randomly chosen members of four whale species—sperm, humpback, long-finned pilot, and northern bottlenoses—in the Norwegian Sea, above the Arctic Circle. The team tracked the animals from a research vessel, then followed them in a smaller boat that was either silent or transmitted three types of sounds: sonar in the 1- to 4-kilohertz band (similar to naval sonar), and clicks emitted by two types of killer whales—those that eat fish exclusively and those that prey exclusively on marine mammals, including other cetaceans. (Although the two types of killer whale are not known to interbreed, they have not yet been identified as separate species.)
All four cetacean species slowed their foraging on fish, sea cucumbers, squid, and other prey when they heard either naval sonar or mammal-eating killer whale sounds, the team reports today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Northern bottlenose whales stopped foraging completely when they heard either sound, whereas humpback, long-finned pilot, and sperm whales reduced their foraging anywhere from 50% to nearly 100%.
Male humpback and sperm whales can fight back against killer whales, and pilot whales sometimes outmaneuver them, but the manateelike northern bottlenose whales are utterly defenseless. Yet all have one strategy: flee, even if you’re hungry. “Whales live in a soundscape of fear,” Miller says. “Listening is as important to them as vision is to humans.”
Hearing unusual or loud human noises, such as sonar, triggers the same defensive reaction, Miller explains. “The whales aren’t confusing sonar with killer whale sounds,” he stresses. The cetaceans flee from sonar “likely because it is loud,” he says. “They perceive it as a general threat, and that triggers their decision to escape.”
This discovery could be of particular importance in the largely pristine Arctic Ocean, Miller adds, where a variety of human noises (shipping, military sonar, seismic air guns, and construction) is increasing.
He predicts the Arctic’s narwhals will likely suffer the most from those sounds, even as they face an increasing presence of mammal-eating killer whales (which ice used to block from Arctic waters). In time, susceptible cetacean species may learn that they don’t need to flee from sonar, but “they don’t have time to evolve,” Miller says. “All they know is ‘that sonar might eat me.’ And in their race to get away, they end up on a beach.”
Underwater noise and frequency pollution, including that which is caused by military sonar tests, the search for oil and gas, and giant ship propellers is a serious threat to marine life which has been linked to “whales stranding, shoals of fish collapsing, sea turtles fleeing” and other great harm. Please watch this short 3:54min video:
❝The Navy uses the phrase, “full spectrum dominance.” When I hear that, the idea of not dominating the sea somehow doesn’t line up with that. Doesn’t square with that phrase.❞ – Michael Stocker, Acoustition
There is information from the UK Ministry of Defence and other sources regarding the national security risks potentially posed by both offshore and onshore industrial wind turbines which I will address in a separate post.
