California’s offshore wind plans are seeing pushback from a local non-profit that warns moving ahead with constructing this renewable energy infrastructure will “harm or kill” local marine life. However, developers of these projects refer to the claims made by those environmental advocacy groups as “misinformation.”
The Golden State is aiming to generate 25 gigawatts of energy from offshore wind by 2045. That would be enough to power 25 million homes and provide around 13% of the state’s electricity needs.
However, these projects face resistance from the Responsible Energy Adaptation for California’s Transition Alliance (REACT), a nonprofit group arguing that the planned offshore wind projects could harm marine ecosystems.
The organization points to potential aquatic ecosystem disruptions as a result of noise pollution from the equipment used for underwater surveys, which they claim is expected to produce sounds up to 228 decibels, equivalent to the volume of a jet engine.
Offshore wind developers disputed these claims, arguing that while decibel level is high, the frequency and the depth at which these sounds are generated would likely minimize any negative impact on marine life. According to the developers, REACT selectively presented data to fuel opposition against offshore wind.
Meanwhile, commercial fishing groups in central California have also voiced their concerns. Two fishing associations recently filed lawsuits claiming that offshore wind projects would harm fish populations and disrupt commercial fishing. They cite past experiences with underwater surveys that reportedly reduced catch rates for certain fish species by up to 70%.
