Offshore Wind Farms Influence on Marine Environmental Health: A Review of Ecological Impacts and Mitigation Strategies

Carrigan, Sidney (2025) Offshore Wind Farms Influence on Marine Environmental Health: A Review of Ecological Impacts and Mitigation Strategies. Bachelor thesis, Global Responsibility & Leadership (GRL).

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Abstract

Offshore wind farms (OWFs) are becoming increasingly popular as a way to reduce society's reliance on fossil fuels and alleviate the impacts of climate change. Because OWFs are progressively occupying more marine space, their environmental effects on the oceanic ecosystem must be critically assessed. This thesis investigates the impact of OWFs on marine ecological health through a comparative case study evaluation discussing both floating and fixed-bottom OWFs. The insights from the cross-case analysis create the foundation to establish policy recommendations that promote oceanic well-being. Seven case studies are examined across the North Sea, the Atlantic, and the Mediterranean to explore the positive and negative ecological effects of OWFs using the Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) and Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) frameworks. Combining both the SES and EBM frameworks offers an in-depth insight into understanding how OWFs influence ecological systems and human governance. The findings show that OWFs can act as artificial reefs, increasing local biodiversity and de facto marine protected areas (MPAs). However, the research also finds several ecological concerns: environmental disruption and noise pollution during installations that displace marine life. At the same time, operational phases produce electromagnetic fields and hydrographic change, which may impact ecosystem functioning. This thesis concludes that if the proposed policy recommendations are effectively implemented, OWFs can support marine environmental health. Mitigation strategies such as standardized data sharing, long-term monitoring, noise alleviation measures, and eco-engineered foundations must be mandated. Accordingly, this can guide the implementation of clean energy infrastructure that safeguards the ocean.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor)
Name supervisor:	Cordero Carrasco, R.R.
Date Deposited:	10 Jun 2025 10:24
Last Modified:	10 Jun 2025 10:24
URI:	https://campus-fryslan.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/624

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