Installing windturbine foundations into the seabed by high-energy piling causes noise that can cause damage to marinelife. Underwater species such as porpoises and seals are sensitive to underwater noise. Installation noise may result in hearing damage in animals that are close by. One of the ways to mitigate noise is with air bubble screens. The Joint Industry Project Bubbles aimed to improve underwater noise mitigation measures, particularly focusing on using air bubble curtains in offshore wind construction projects.
In the Bubbles JIP project, we gathered a lot of data and gained a lot of insight. However, there are still a lot of uncertainties. Therefore, we would like to dive deeper into this data to get an even better understanding in a follow-up project. Erik-Jan de Ridder emphasises the need for full-scale measurements to test the effectiveness of bubble curtains at sea. "We are now looking for partners for this next phase."
Do you want to minimise the impact of offshore wind farm installation on marine life, and be involved in this follow-up project on noise mitigation with bubble curtains? Watch the video below and read the TKI Offshore Energy article where Erik Jan de Ridder will tell you more about the Bubbles follow-up project.