Offshore Wind Energy and California Central Coast
In collaboration with Crow White in Biology, Ryan Walter in Physics, and Yi-Hui Wang, our fantastic research scientist, we have been examining the potential to develop offshore renewable energy in our region, as well as the potential impacts of that development. First, we sought to evaluate the potential for wind energy along the California central coast using realistic scenarios for energy production. Existing predictions of wind power has used average wind speeds, but since we know the wind does not always blow at average speeds, estimates of power from these averages will be inaccurate. We developed an approach to more accurately predict power with precision in space and through time. Yi-Hui led that work, published here.
Next, we took our more precise estimates of wind, and used them to predict how much power these winds could generate from our local waters, and then how well that power lined up with statewide demand for electricity. Interestingly, we found that offshore winds power production is strongest during spring and summer evenings, which happens to coincide both with the peak in demand (since people often turn on lots of appliances when they get home from work), and with the drop in solar production as the sun sets. These findings suggest that offshore wind will complement solar well, and have a high economic value. Yi-Hui led this one too, published here.
We've also made some estimates of just how much total electricity some of the areas off of the Central Coast can generate. Spoiler alert: it's substantial (possibly up to 10% of California's total electricity needs in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area; see map here). Yi-Hui was lead on this as well, published in in the journal Wind Energy.
Next, we sought to explore how offshore floating wind farms might impact the ocean where they might be build. Since there was only one floating wind farm that has just been deployed when we started this effort (so there were no data on the impacts of floating wind farms themselves), we conducted a qualitative systematic review of a range of potential environmental impacts that floating wind farms might have using analogs (such as fixed bottom offshore and land-based wind turbines, wave and tidal energy devices, and oil and gas platforms). Our review suggests that many potential effects either pose a low risk to marine environment or could be mitigated to pose a low risk if developers take appropriate actions. This project was led by Hayley Farr, who did much of this work as part of her undergrad senior project, and is now at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory working on other issues related to offshore renewable energy. Hayley did a fantastic job on this project, published here.
Now, we are examining how development of offshore wind might impact other users of ocean space, including fisheries, marine mammals, seabirds, shipping, and others. We're using a variety of datasets to see if there are places that have high value from wind power and low impacts on the other users. Those places would be the 'win-win' locations, where offshore wind development will have the lowest environmental and socioeconomic impacts. That work is in progress, but we're hoping to have some results to share soon. For now, our emphasis is on fisheries datasets; our first paper on this topic is currently in review at Marine and Coastal Fisheries (as of early 2022), and we have another manuscript with lots of data that is currently being reviewed by our agency partners; that will be submitted for publication very soon. Stay tuned for more!
So far, most of our work has focused on the Central Coast, but we can apply the framework we've developed to other parts of the West Coast, the U.S., or really, anywhere in the world.
Next, we took our more precise estimates of wind, and used them to predict how much power these winds could generate from our local waters, and then how well that power lined up with statewide demand for electricity. Interestingly, we found that offshore winds power production is strongest during spring and summer evenings, which happens to coincide both with the peak in demand (since people often turn on lots of appliances when they get home from work), and with the drop in solar production as the sun sets. These findings suggest that offshore wind will complement solar well, and have a high economic value. Yi-Hui led this one too, published here.
We've also made some estimates of just how much total electricity some of the areas off of the Central Coast can generate. Spoiler alert: it's substantial (possibly up to 10% of California's total electricity needs in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area; see map here). Yi-Hui was lead on this as well, published in in the journal Wind Energy.
Next, we sought to explore how offshore floating wind farms might impact the ocean where they might be build. Since there was only one floating wind farm that has just been deployed when we started this effort (so there were no data on the impacts of floating wind farms themselves), we conducted a qualitative systematic review of a range of potential environmental impacts that floating wind farms might have using analogs (such as fixed bottom offshore and land-based wind turbines, wave and tidal energy devices, and oil and gas platforms). Our review suggests that many potential effects either pose a low risk to marine environment or could be mitigated to pose a low risk if developers take appropriate actions. This project was led by Hayley Farr, who did much of this work as part of her undergrad senior project, and is now at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory working on other issues related to offshore renewable energy. Hayley did a fantastic job on this project, published here.
Now, we are examining how development of offshore wind might impact other users of ocean space, including fisheries, marine mammals, seabirds, shipping, and others. We're using a variety of datasets to see if there are places that have high value from wind power and low impacts on the other users. Those places would be the 'win-win' locations, where offshore wind development will have the lowest environmental and socioeconomic impacts. That work is in progress, but we're hoping to have some results to share soon. For now, our emphasis is on fisheries datasets; our first paper on this topic is currently in review at Marine and Coastal Fisheries (as of early 2022), and we have another manuscript with lots of data that is currently being reviewed by our agency partners; that will be submitted for publication very soon. Stay tuned for more!
So far, most of our work has focused on the Central Coast, but we can apply the framework we've developed to other parts of the West Coast, the U.S., or really, anywhere in the world.
Want to learn more?
Contact Ben, here.
Contact Ben, here.