Ørsted and Eversource,
developers of Connecticut’s first offshore wind farm, Revolution
Wind, announced
a multi-year research partnership with Mystic Aquarium to conduct studies
of the effects of offshore wind turbines on marine mammals and sea turtles.
The research partnership is part of a $1.25 million grant Ørsted and Eversource
awarded to Mystic Aquarium announced last year.
To better understand how offshore wind can be built responsibly and in
concert with nature, Ørsted and Eversource are supporting research on how
impacts of offshore wind on marine mammals can be minimized. The research
also aims to provide data to scientists studying the impacts of the climate
crisis, as well as educate the public on the solutions to these challenges.
Through this partnership,
Aquarium scientists will conduct several studies related to marine mammals
and sea turtles focused on the following:
● Investigation of the occurrence of marine mammal strandings before
and after construction and operation phases of Ørsted and Eversource’s
three offshore wind farms: South Fork Wind, Revolution Wind, and Sunrise
Wind
● Development of biomarker technology to assess the physiological response
to offshore wind power systems and to conduct long-term health monitoring
● Tagging and tracking of seals and sea turtles in relation to offshore
wind development and operation
● Furthering the development of non-invasive sample collection for health
monitoring
● Investigating the utility of environmental DNA (eDNA), such as through
water samples, to detect the presence of sea turtles and seals.
● The research partnership
with Ørsted and Eversource also aims to provide additional content for
the Aquarium’s Ocean Solutions gallery, which focuses on the role of oceans
in helping to solve the global biodiversity and climate crises through
the establishment of marine protected areas and the responsible use of
renewable ocean energy.
The wind farm project partners stated Mystic Aquarium is ideally suited
to investigate the relationship between marine life and offshore wind energy
infrastructure, given its ability to compare animals under its care to
those in the wild that become stranded and are rehabilitated by its Animal
Rescue Program.
The Aquarium’s rescue team responds to reports of stranded and distressed
marine mammals and sea turtles over 1,000 miles of coastline in Connecticut,
Rhode Island, and Fisher’s Island, NY. Once rehabilitated, marine mammals
and sea turtles are returned to the wild with tracking devices attached
to be utilised in this ongoing research.
Comparisons
between biological samples taken from Aquarium animals through non-invasive
means and samples from stranded animals will inform much of the research.
Aquarium scientists with expertise in marine animal health and physiology
will develop non-invasive techniques to monitor health in wild populations.
The Aquarium’s rescue staff utilizes satellite tags through a project
in collaboration with Ørsted, Eversource, and the Atlantic Marine Conservation
Society (AMSEAS). Data from the Aquarium’s years of tracking will be compared
with data gathered during and after turbine installation to inform all
partners of any effects on marine life.
“All data obtained through our partnership with Ørsted/Eversource and
AMSEAS is incredibly valuable,” said Dr. Tracy Romano, Mystic Aquarium’s
Chief Scientist. “Our Animal Rescue Program contributes knowledge about
the health of these animals, reasons why they come ashore, their ecosystem,
and the environment overall and provides us an opportunity to tag them
to gather additional important data as they are released. This gives us
a much greater understanding of how to address a variety of issues that
impact our oceans and marine life.”
Revolution Wind is a 704 MW project that is expected to provide energy
for more than 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island beginning
in 2025. It will be located 32 miles southeast of Connecticut, 15 miles
south of Rhode Island, and 12 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard. Turbines
for the wind farm will be assembled and shipped from State Pier in the
Port of New London. Two other offshore wind farms in the Ørsted-Eversource
portfolio, South
Fork Wind
and Sunrise
Wind, will
also be shipped from New London to sites east of Montauk, Long Island to
provide electricity to New York homes and businesses.