From Fortune Magazine:



Conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, have claimed that offshore wind turbines are killing whales, but scientists say there is no credible evidence to support this claim. There are currently two commercial offshore wind farms under construction in the U.S., with plans to open more in the near future. Despite the fact that experts have found no evidence of limited wind farm construction directly resulting in any whale deaths, some conservative groups and anti-development groups continue to make the connection. Whales do face dangers from human activities such as shipping collisions, entanglement in fishing gear, and underwater noise pollution. However, any connection between offshore wind farms and these dangers remains unclear. Offshore wind developers are taking steps to ensure marine mammals are not harmed, including pausing construction during migration seasons, using “bubble curtains” to contain sound from pile-driving, and stationing trained observers with binoculars on ships to look for marine mammals. Some vocal opponents of offshore wind have used unsupported claims about harm to whales to try to stop projects. However, misinformation about the impact of offshore wind farms on whales can cause angst in coastal communities where developers need to build shoreside infrastructure to operate a wind farm. The Biden administration aims to power 10 million homes with offshore wind by 2030 as a key piece of its climate goals. Scientists say that whales have been adversely affected by climate change, and less reliance on fossil fuels could help solve this problem.



Original: Do offshore wind projects kill whales? Probably not