Dr Woods has finally announced a windfarm! She said all we needed was 4.5 windfarms per year several years ago – and now she has one.
There is a “really good chance” that a massive $5 billion offshore wind farm capable of powering more than a third of New Zealand homes will be built off the west coast of the lower North Island, says the Danish investment fund that is behind the project.
Energy Minister Megan Woods said the Government had been developing regulations for offshore renewable energy schemes and it was “fantastic to see that gave the industry the assurance they were looking for to get projects underway”.
Stuff
The proposed offshore wind farm will be built in the South Taranaki Bight.
Would that be the same South Taranaki Bight that had seabed mining banned in September 2021? If so, how are the offshore wind turbines going to be held in place? Will they be fixed to huge foundations built into the seabed, or floating ones, anchored to the seabed? Will the seabed be disturbed during construction? Will pile-driving be used?
Would that be the same South Taranaki Bight where Jacinda Ardern banned oil and gas exploration in November 2018?
Would that be the same South Taranaki Bight that is home to much endangered marine life?
The South Taranaki Bight mostly comprises shallow shelf waters (~100-120m) and is strongly influenced by a nutrient-rich upwelling system. Over 35 different marine mammal species have been documented within the region including at least eight species or subspecies with IUCN threatened or vulnerable status (e.g. Maui dolphins, Antarctic blue whale – both CR, Hector’s dolphin, pygmy blue whale, Oceania sub-population humpback whale, sei whale – all four EN, fin whale, sperm whale – both VU).
New Zealand pygmy blue whales are a genetically distinct and isolated population with year-round presence in the region, which is a critical foraging ground. Hector’s dolphins and Maui dolphin occur in the coastal waters of the South Taranaki Bight. The IMMA which is used as a migratory corridor for humpback, blue, and southern right whales, and includes colonies of New Zealand fur seals.
MMPATF
Given the known effects of noise on these endangered marine mammals, it will be interesting to see what the Greenies decide to support: endangered marine life or a stupid wind farm that requires equal capacity of onshore generation to kick in when the wind suddenly stops blowing.
The potential effects of offshore wind farm construction and operation will differ among species, depending on their likelihood of interaction with the structures and cables, sensitivities, and avoidance responses. Studies have generally focused on marine mammals and seabirds because of stakeholder concerns and legal protection for these species and their habitats.
The construction phase is likely to have the greatest impact on marine mammals and the activities of greatest concern are pile driving and increased vessel traffic. Pile driving is currently the most common method used to secure the turbine foundation to the seafloor, although other foundation types are being developed. The loud sounds emitted during pile driving could potentially cause hearing damage, masking of calls or spatial displacement as animals move out of the area to avoid the noise. Fish could similarly be affected by these sounds. There is also a risk to marine mammals, sea turtles and fish of collision and disturbance from vessel movements associated with surveying and installation activities.
During operation of the wind turbines, underwater sound levels are unlikely to reach dangerous levels or mask acoustic communication of marine mammals. However, this phase of the development is of greatest concern for seabirds. Mortality can be caused by collision with the moving turbine blades, and avoidance responses may result in displacement from key habitat or increase energetic costs. This may affect birds migrating through the area as well as those that breed or forage in the vicinity.
Research paper
While there are limited data on long term effects associated with the continual operational noise of offshore wind turbines the size of the turbines, overall size of the wind farm array and where it is positioned all have implications for environmental impact.
The Natural and Built Environments Bill: Parliamentary paper on the exposure draft which explains the proposed Natural and Built Environments Bill says this:
The precautionary approach (defined in clause 3) applies where effects on the environment are uncertain or unknown but could cause potentially serious or irreversible harm to the environment. The precautionary approach favours taking action to prevent those adverse effects rather than postponing action because there is a lack of full scientific certainty.
EnvironmentNZ
Since the effects of the South Taranaki Bight wind farm on dolphins and whales cannot be known, the precautionary approach must be followed and the wind farm idea must be abandoned.