Sectors / Offshore Wind

 
 
 

Navigating U.S. Regulations

We provide our clients with reliable noise impact information and rational mitigation strategies to successfully meet stringent regulatory requirements, so that offshore wind developments stay on track. The regulation of underwater noise in the U.S., based on expected numbers of animals affected rather than on threshold sound levels at a given distance, requires more comprehensive and sophisticated monitoring approaches. Our specialized team relies on deep industry experience to provide precisely tailored sound monitoring solutions to ensure regulatory compliance without project delays.

 

Get in Touch

 

Current & Past Projects

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Northwester 2
Northwester 2

Belgium

Monitoring, Data Analysis

Vineyard Wind 1 & 2
Vineyard Wind 1 & 2

Massachusetts

Modelling

South Fork Wind Farm
South Fork Wind Farm

Rhode Island

Modelling

Revolution Wind
Revolution Wind

Rhode Island

Modelling

Skipjack Wind Farm
Skipjack Wind Farm

Maryland

Modelling

Block Island Wind Farm
Block Island Wind Farm

Rhode Island

Monitoring, Data Analysis

 
 
“JASCO always provides top-notch products and have been incredibly helpful resource when dealing with U.S. government agencies on offshore wind acoustic impact modeling, IHAs.”
— Satisfied Client
 
 
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Detection and localization of protected species

JASCO’s proven monitoring technologies enable real-time detection of marine species from surface vehicles, underwater gliders, and moored or drifting buoys to empower timely and well-informed decision making. We work closely with developers and manufacturers of advanced uncrewed offshore vehicles to create integrated solutions that cost effectively deploy the acoustic monitoring platforms at their optimal location. Our detection and localization techniques provide reliable bearings to identified calling species, including North Atlantic right whales.

 
 

Let our experience work for you

Whether at the present stage of your development you require predictive sound exposure modelling for project permitting, sound field verifications during construction, or wide area monitoring during operation, we provide thorough and adaptable solutions specifically for offshore wind. Our results are widely trusted by industry, governments and special interest groups because of their rigorous scientific defensibility.

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Advanced monitoring technologies

JASCO’s range of field-proven sound measurement technologies provide a flexible choice of methods for underwater observations. Our innovative solutions include:

  • Autonomous surface vehicles

  • Underwater gliders

  • Over-the-side sound level meters

  • Telemetry buoys

  • Cabled observatories

  • Autonomous underwater recorders

 
 
 
 

We’re committed to wind energy

JASCO is serious about wind energy. We see it as one of the most mature and effective resources in the ongoing journey to decarbonize the world’s economies. Not only do we place our expertise at the service of environmentally responsible development of wind energy, we are committed to being leaders in its use. The electrical supply for our flagship Canadian facilities in Halifax, Nova Scotia, including the full engineering and production infrastructure for our instruments, is certified 100% wind sourced.

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Let’s work together

Partner with us to achieve regulatory compliance without costly delays.

JASCO Applied Sciences (USA) Inc.
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 218
Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA

Tel: +1-301-565-3500
maryland@jasco.com

 
 
 
 

Sample reports for our offshore wind clients

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Underwater Acoustic Modeling of Detonations of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) for Orsted Wind Farm Construction, US East Coast
Underwater Acoustic Modeling of Detonations of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) for Orsted Wind Farm Construction, US East Coast

May 2022 — East Coast, United States

Client: Ørsted

Modelling of acoustic sources and sound propagation to estimate Level-A and Level-B take zones for expected UXO types that may be encountered along export cable routes during wind farm construction. This assessment considers acoustic effects to marine mammals, sea turtles, and fish from five possible charge sizes at sites with four water depths near Ørsted’s Revolution Wind project areas. The results are also relevant for sites with similar water depths at Ørsted’s Ocean Wind 1 project, Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind project, and possibly other wind farm sites with similar properties.

Sunrise Wind Farm Project: Underwater Noise and Exposure Modelling
Sunrise Wind Farm Project: Underwater Noise and Exposure Modelling

April 2022 — Outer Continental Shelf, United States

Client: Sunrise Wind LLC (Ørsted and Eversource)

JASCO modelled the potential underwater acoustic impacts resulting from pile driving for installing tapered monopiles, pin piles for jacket foundations, casing pipes, and goal post sheet piles for the construction of the 924 MW Sunrise Wind Farm and associated Export Cable. This underwater noise assessment estimates the number of marine mammals and sea turtles that may experience sound levels that exceed regulatory thresholds and calculates exposure ranges. For fish, ranges to regulatory sound thresholds for injury and behavioral disturbance were calculated.

Hywind Scotland Floating Offshore Wind Farm: Sound Source Characterisation of Operational Floating Turbines
Hywind Scotland Floating Offshore Wind Farm: Sound Source Characterisation of Operational Floating Turbines

March 2022 — Scotland

Client: Equinor Energy AS

Sound measurements and analysis for the world’s first floating offshore wind farm. Located in the North Sea off the east coast of Scotland, Hywind Scotland comprises five floating wind turbines, each sitting atop a spar buoy that is moored to the seabed. JASCO measured the underwater sound from one turbine for three months using a four-hydrophone tetrahedral array to allow bearing discrimination between sounds from different directions. The sound signature of the turbine was fully characterized, consisting mainly of low-frequency tonal noise associated with rotating rotor and generator components. In addition, the sources of more broadband transient mooring noises were localized.

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A Parametric Analysis and Sensitivity Study of the Acoustic Propagation for Renewable Energy
A Parametric Analysis and Sensitivity Study of the Acoustic Propagation for Renewable Energy

February 2020 — Atlantic Coast, United States

Client: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)

A modelling and analysis study to facilitate improved risk prediction of underwater noise impacts of offshore wind development involving pile driving. It recommends the most efficient acoustic models and ranks the most influential environmental parameters at two representative sites off the United States Atlantic Coast. Co-authored by Michael Ainslie.

Deepwater Wind’s South Fork Wind Farm
Deepwater Wind’s South Fork Wind Farm

May 2019 — Rhode Island, United States

Clients: Jacobs Engineering Group, Deepwater Wind

Appendix J1 – Acoustic Assessment Report—Underwater (Updated February 2021)

Modelling study of underwater construction noise as part of Deepwater Wind’s Construction and Operations Plan to initiate environmental review of the construction and operation of the South Fork Wind Farm offshore Rhode Island. Acoustic fields were modelled for the sound sources associated with construction of the 15 turbines and export cable, namely impact and vibratory pile driving and thrusters of dynamically-positioned vessels. Ranges to acoustic impact thresholds for cetaceans, sea turtles, and fish were predicted.

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Vineyard Wind Impact Assessment
Vineyard Wind Impact Assessment

October 2018 — Massachusetts, United States

Client: Vineyard Wind, LLC

Appendix III-M–Supplemental Info for Assessment of Potential Impacts to Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles During Construction, Operation, and Decommissioning of the Vineyard Wind Project

In 2017, JASCO performed an acoustic impact assessment for Vineyard Wind as part of their Construction and Operations Plan submitted to BOEM. In 2018, this supplemental document addressed BOEM’s request for further information on impact producing factors (IPFs) of the Project. JASCO modelled the sound fields from proposed piling activities and estimated the ranges to various sound level isopleths. The sound fields were then combined with JASCO’s JASMINE animal simulation model to estimate potential exposure levels for marine species.