Center for Research on Offshore Wind and the Environment (CROWE)
Offshore wind energy is an essential component of plans to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate the effects of climate change on wildlife and ecosystems. However, like other energy sources, it can also present risks to wildlife and their environment. BRI biologists work to understand wildlife distributions and movements, and to identify ways to minimize risks from offshore wind energy development. CROWE works collaboratively with BRI’s other programs to carry out research studies that cross species lines and geographic boundaries and enhance our overall knowledge of wildlife and ecosystems that may be affected by the development of offshore wind energy.
BRI’s Wildlife and Renewable Energy Program has a decade-long history researching the effects of wind power development on wildlife and their habitats. The range of this work includes the seminal Mid-Atlantic Baseline Studies Project, and the technical support we provide to the New York State Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG).
Major areas of expertise and experience:
- Bird field studies and assessments for seabirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, and raptors
- Acoustics, captures, transmitter deployment and tracking, observational surveys (vessel- and plane-based), digital aerial surveys
- Bat field studies and assessments
- Acoustics, captures, and transmitter deployment and tracking
- Quantitative ecology
- Spatial ecology
- Stakeholder engagement and coordination
- Advanced technologies for wildlife monitoring
Published in Marine Ecology Progress Series, new research by BRI scientists maps marine life across 40 offshore wind areas and 7 subregions in the U.S. Atlantic, revealing distinct predator-prey patterns by region! The Gulf of Maine hosts unique wildlife communities with higher predator-prey overlap, while mid-Atlantic areas show strong seasonal and nearshore-offshore differences. These baselines are critical for assessing future wind energy impacts on marine ecosystems.
Research and Guidance Development
- Digital Aerial Surveys In the Gulf of Maine
- Developing Monitoring Protocols for Automated Radio Telemetry at Offshore Wind Farms
- Offshore Science Planning
- Offshore Strategic Wildlife Initiative for Flight Tracking (O-SWIFT)
- Exploring How Forage Fish Availability Affects Seabirds
- Stochastic Collision Risk Assessment for Movement (SCRAM)
- Wildlife and Offshore Wind (WOW): A Systems Approach to Research and Risk Assessment for Offshore Wind Development from Maine to North Carolina
- Mid-Atlantic Baseline Studies (2011-2015)
Stakeholder Engagement and Research Prioritization
BRI manages and participates in several stakeholder groups focused on bringing together multi-sectoral expertise to inform environmentally responsible offshore wind energy development. These include:
- The Environmental Technical Working Group, or E-TWG (Offshore Wind in New York State)
- Maine Offshore Wind Initiative
- Great Lakes Wind-Wildlife Coalition
- Flight, Fingers, and Fins: Citizen Science to Improve our Knowledge of Landbirds and Bats in the Marine Environment
- Wildlife Monitoring R&D Needs for Offshore Wind Energy Development
BRI also helps to organize multiple offshore wind and wildlife-focused conferences, including the State of the Science on Offshore Wind, Wildlife and Fisheries and the Conference on Wind Energy and Wildlife Impacts.
Ecological Modeling and Data Management
BRI’s Quantitative Wildlife Ecology Research Lab (QWERL) conducts a range of spatial ecology and population modeling projects that inform decision making for offshore wind energy development. Offshore wind-focused projects with a strong quantitative component:
