Amidst the increasing fear of global warming aftereffects, governments and other industries are opting for alternative energy sources that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as make the maximum out of nature’s energy – be it solar, wind or wave.
But, what is raising concern is the ill-effects of these technologies like offshore wind farms, which in turn, is injuring the marine animals and birds.
Besides, the wind farm blades are prone to cutting down birds accidentally flying through them; the budding offshore wind farms potentially threat the whales and dolphins with permanent devastations.
During the construction of the wind mills, activities like pile driving produces noise enough to be heard by marine creatures living in shallow water up to 80km away. For those at close range, such sounds damage their hearing and also considerably change their behavior when at distances of 20km.
Not just that, even laying of cables and disturbances triggered by service boats create an alarming impact on their acoustic, which continues even long after the building is over, according to the Whale and Dolphin Society.
With offshore wind power targeted to serve for 20 percent of UK’s energy needs, it is certain to cause permanent damage to many more of these sea animals by then.
But again it is difficult to choose between endangering the sea creatures’ acoustics and the fight against global warming with such alternative and efficient energy sources.
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