Offshore wind farms in China have become a haven for oysters, barnacles and more, study finds
A wind farm off the coast of China boosted fish numbers and supported colonies of oysters and barnacles, according to new research.
Offshore wind farms can do more than boost renewable energy: They can also support marine ecosystems. this is the conclusion a new study Held in China. The researchers found that wind turbines supported colonies of oysters and barnacles and that fish species and biomass were more abundant near the turbines than in the area without the machines.
The study refutes a frequent criticism of offshore wind farms – that they are harmful to marine life and can damage the seabed. China, despite being the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is the global leader in renewable energy construction, including offshore wind projects. is in largest wind energy potential There is a plan to build the largest wind turbine of any country and in the world.
Located in China’s northern Yellow Sea, the wind farm evaluated in the study gave rise to a so-called benthic ecosystem – dominated by marine organisms – that did not exist in a comparable area nearby, which had no turbines. Researchers believe that rough turbinate surfaces provide an optimal habitat for such organisms.
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James Tweedledee, senior lecturer at Murdoch University in Australia and co-author of the study, recently said that because these organisms were able to grow and thrive on and around the turbines, the predatory fish followed for food, thereby promoting the diversity and stability of the ecosystem. statement,
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