Addressing Misinformation in Offshore Wind Projects

Anyone who knows me knows how deeply I care about the environment and marine life -- it’s why I do the job I do.   So I was saddened to hear that recently, a deceased, badly decomposed baleen whale was spotted floating beyond the construction zone of Ørsted’s South Fork Wind project. Unfortunately this incident has been another opportunity for misinformation to be spread about offshore wind and whales, ignoring the actual known threats to large whales and the facts that there is no evidence linking offshore wind activity to recent whale mortalities.   Let me say that again: there is no evidence that offshore wind activities are causing whale deaths.   In this specific case, I’m glad that the South Fork Wind Protected Species Observer were present, able to observe and identify the whale (it was not a North Atlantic Right Whale but likely a Fin or Sei), and follow the appropriate reporting protocols to federal agencies. PSOs are just one of the measures of South Fork Wind’s industry-leading whale protection agreement that we’re implementing at the project. Others include strict vessel speed limits of 10 knots, no pile driving of wind turbine foundations between Dec 1 – April 30, additional lookout vessels, noise reduction technologies such as double bubble curtains, and underwater acoustic monitoring.   The leading identified causes of whale deaths are vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear, while climate change and warming ocean temperatures are impacting where whale prey is located and how whales migrate. Any whale mortality is tragic and underscores the urgency of addressing these known threats to whales, including climate change. Ørsted’s vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy, and we are committed to the responsible development of clean energy in America, as well as to working with environmental organizations, researchers, scientists, regulators and all other stakeholders committed to a healthy ocean environment. For more information, please check out the the FactCheck.org article or the NOAA Q&A on offshore wind and whales or feel free to reach out to me.

Offshore wind farms do not harm whales according to extensive scientific studies. Claims to the contrary stem from deliberate disinformation campaigns. More expensive and less mature floating offshore wind turbines present even less risk to whales than fixed structures, though maintenance vessel traffic would need management during migration periods. Offshore wind farms have a huge potential to act as artificial reefs, greatly benefiting fish populations by providing new habitat. This could enhance recreational and commercial fishing. Larger fish may even result from exclusion of bigger and more damaging fishing boats in some wind farm areas. Concerns about whale welfare have been deliberately amplified in Australia by organized opposition groups spreading the same disinformation tactics used in the US. Genuine public concern has been manipulated. Strategic siting of wind farms outside key whale migratory corridors and feeding areas can surely allow their safe coexistence with renewable energy development and climate change mitigation. The key threats to whales globally are entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, whaling, pollution and climate change - not wind turbines. Extensive studies in Europe and North America over 10+ years show no credible evidence of negative impacts on whales from offshore wind infrastructure. Claims about sonar from offshore wind surveys harming whales have also been disproven. Autopsies on stranded whales found natural causes like ship strikes, not auditory injuries from sonar. The fake article alleging 400 whale deaths per year in NSW was deliberately fabricated propaganda not a legitimate scientific publication. Specific migratory corridors for humpback whales along the Australian coast have been identified, and siting wind farms at least 15km offshore allows whales to safely pass inshore of turbines as they have learned to do around other obstacles. Concerns about impacts on wildlife have been co-opted and exaggerated as part of a wider campaign irrationally opposing renewable energy in Australia. However, genuine stewardship of whale/bird welfare remains important https://lnkd.in/gT-v7Ks7

Oh great. Anti-offshore wind movements are increasingly going global, with activists from Australia and the UK collaborating online with U.S. groups to share tactics and strategies 📲. These campaigns leverage concerns about environmental impact 🌊🐋, tourism disruptions, and property values—more often than not, amplified by misinformation. 🌬️ Some groups argue that offshore wind kills marine life or provides little benefit to climate change mitigation. Unfortunately, many of these claims are not supported by science. 📉 What’s more interesting is the growing link between these groups and right-wing politics 🎯, with conservative politicians in the U.S. and Aus jumping on the anti-wind bandwagon to gain political traction 🎤. This pattern is seen in places like New Jersey and Rhode Island, where opposition has shifted from localized concerns to national-level obstruction funded by fossil fuel interests 💰🌡️. It's a tactic that’s now spreading internationally, threatening progress in renewable energy at a critical time. The lesson for the offshore wind industry? We need a coordinated, facts-based response to debunk myths and communicate the benefits—before this opposition gains further momentum. 💡🔋 So here is how we can push back: 1️⃣ Educate & engage locally: Open communication about project benefits (jobs, energy independence) and debunk myths about environmental impacts 🌊🐋. 2️⃣ Fight misinformation: Set up fact-checking teams and work with social media platforms to counter false claims in real-time 📲❌. 3️⃣ More economics, less climate: In U.S., Aus and increasingly UK, climate change and netzero debates are politically divisive, leading with economic arguments can depoliticise the conversation, making it easier to gain broader public and political support. 💼 4️⃣ Strengthen political support: Advocate with policymakers and streamline approvals. A unified voice from diverse political spectrums is essential 🎤. 5️⃣ Mobilise grassroots: Create pro-wind movements and share global success stories to inspire local communities 🤝💪. 6️⃣ Prepare for legal challenges: Strengthen legal defenses to mitigate lawsuits funded by fossil fuel and other right-wing interests ⚖️💼. 7️⃣ Tailored messaging: Address aesthetic and property concerns, and emphasise energy security 🔋🔑. We cannot abandon this ground, a hell of a lot of this is baseless. We need to fight and if necessary, get into the arena to do so! 📢 Catch up with the OWC team at #WindEnergyHamburg2024! 📢 📍 ABL Group Stand 422, Hall B2, 📅 24th -27th of September 2024 #RenewableEnergy #OffshoreWind #Misinformation #ClimateAction #EnergyTransition #Sustainability --------------------------------------- 📞 📧 Contact me or OWC if you want to chat about support for your renewable energy project, investment, or market entry. ➡ Subscribe to the loudest, most seriously caffeinated hashtag #offshorewind newsletter on LinkedIn 👉🏼 https://lnkd.in/evdXr-QH

There's some interesting research into misinformation & public views around #wind energy projects that has just been published by a team of University of Queensland and German academics. It was based on research about the views of 6,000 people in the USA, UK and Australia. The key finding was agreement with "contrarian claims" is widespread and is a concern for progressing wind energy as part of the energy transition. Suggested approaches by the authors to counter this include: - Correcting misinformation (e.g. by myth busting campaigns); - Focus broadly rather than limit to addressing single contrarian claims - Acknowledging & relating to the underlying world views hold by stakeholders in engagement strategies. It wasn't mentioned by the authors but given that some of the strongest agreement with contrarian claims was related to concerns about government & industry relationships and that government could be withholding information from the public, I'd suggest that the findings perhaps also indicate the need for more emphasis on proving the public interest case for wind energy projects, along with increased transparency in government & regulatory decision-making information. I recommend checking out this paper if you are working in this space. #socialimpact #sociallicence #stakeholderengagement #renewableenergy https://lnkd.in/g7ZBmCvK Source: Winter et al, "Public agreement with misinformation about wind farms", Nature Communications, October 2024.