Integrated Monitoring of Cetacean and Ocean Environmental Impacts from Floating Offshore Wind Development on the Pacific Coast
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Recipient
Berkeley, CA
Recipient Location
9th
Senate District
14th
Assembly District
$500,000
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
The project is ongoing and progress has been made across multiple tasks in the project. For Task 2, the team advanced the prototype monitoring hardware package for floating offshore wind by refining the integration of optical fibers into mooring lines, testing fibers with enhanced coatings under mechanical loads up to 1,000 pounds, and evaluating their resistance to water degradation. In Task 3, efforts are focused on developing machine-learning-based rapid data processing capabilities for distributed acoustic sensing data algorithms and submission of the Algorithm Development and Test Results Report. The UC Berkley team is leading the development of supervised machine learning models and further collaboration is planned with Optasense. For Task 4, laboratory test preparations included finalizing the water tank design, cleaning the wave tank, and scheduling its lining installation. The project team drafted a laboratory experimental plan, visited MBARI for deep-water tank assessments, and performed background noise tests. These efforts contribute directly to deliverables such as the Laboratory Test Report, the Laboratory Experimental Test Plan, and the Algorithm Development and Test Results Report, ensuring alignment with project objectives.
The Issue
Floating offshore wind farms represent a significant advancement in renewable energy technologies but also pose environmental challenges that must be carefully managed. One of the primary concerns is the impact on marine mammals, which can be affected by underwater noise during both construction and operation, potentially disrupting communication, migration, and feeding patterns. Additionally, the marine environment may experience altered hydrodynamic conditions due to changes in upwelling and downwelling processes, which are essential for nutrient cycling and ecosystem health. There is also a risk of ocean bottom landslides due to the anchoring of floating structures, especially in sensitive or previously undisturbed marine habitats. Monitoring and understanding these multi-faceted impacts to marine animals and ocean environments is critical to fill the knowledge gaps for environmental permitting of floating offshore wind energy deployments and their environmentally sustainable operations. Novel technologies that are compatible, and ideally co-deployable, with FOWT to monitor and assess these impacts are critically needed. Integrating multiple sensing technologies into a comprehensive monitoring system capable of detecting marine environmental changes and monitoring the integrity of floating offshore wind energy infrastructure to ensure reliability will be instrumental in ensuring these deployments are capable of responsible operation and minimal environmental impact.
Project Innovation
The purpose of this Agreement is to fund the development and laboratory demonstration of an integrated monitoring system combining multimodal fiber optic sensing technologies (acoustic, temperature, and strain) and advanced vector hydrophones for concurrent marine mammal and ocean environmental impact monitoring from floating offshore wind technology deployment off the Pacific coast. Results will reduce costs and increase resiliency by providing real-time environmental monitoring capabilities without the need for electric power access on fiber sensors and increase knowledge of potential wildlife impacts in marine waters offshore California.
Project Benefits
This project aims to develop a state-of-the-art distributed sensing system to quantify the environmental impacts of floating offshore wind farms, particularly concerning marine life and oceanic processes. The technology will significantly enhance the monitoring of acoustic signals from marine mammals and critical changes in marine dynamics, such as altered upwelling and downwelling process, as well as ocean bottom landslides. Developing such a monitoring system is a crucial step toward supporting sustainable renewable energy development with marine conservation efforts.
Key Project Members
Yuxin Wu
Subrecipients
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the Berkeley Campus
Naval Postgraduate School
OptaSense, Inc.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Match Partners
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the Berkeley Campus
Naval Postgraduate School
OptaSense, Inc.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
