Publication Abstract

Offshore wind energy offers many advantages: next to the primary aim of renewable energy production, offshore wind farms (OWFs) also offer multi-purpose opportunities with nature conservation and aquaculture activities, and they have effects on the marine ecosystem. The environmental impact of OWFs is starting to be investigated regarding the effect of novel habitat introduction, underwater noise, electromagnetic fields, or the exclusion of fisheries. However, the impact of chemical emissions from OWFs remains largely unknown. To assess the environmental impact and implement a regulatory framework to optimally protect the marine environment, it is essential to account for these emissions. In this review, we compile a literature-based list of potential OWF chemical emissions, containing more than 200 organic and inorganic contaminants. Compounds are categorized according to source and type of emission: continuously leaching, discontinuous emission or accidental emission. Major gaps to implement a sound routine monitoring are identified, including challenges in environmental monitoring and numerical modelling and assessing the toxicity of individual and mixtures of chemical contaminants towards marine organisms. A risk-based prioritisation is essential to overcome costs linked to assessing a high variety of chemical contaminants. Although some countries have regulations in place to reduce offshore wind farm chemical emissions, standardized impact assessments or monitoring requirements for offshore wind farm-based chemical contaminants seems not to be established on a regular basis so far. This stresses the importance of providing more detailed information on the occurrence, distribution and impact of offshore wind farm chemical emissions as an essential step towards sound ecosystem-based management. 

Keywords 

Offshore wind farms, chemical emissions, environmental monitoring, numerical modelling, impact assessment, offshore wind farm regulations