If you would like to establish a wind farm, it is normally a good idea to prepare an initial environmental assessment of the farm. In a number of countries, such as the UK, Denmark and Australia, it is even a legal requirement. Depending on the specific project, the environmental assessment typically includes:
- Landscape and visual impressions
- Flora and fauna
- Noise
- Shadows
- Birds
If the environmental assessment determines that the wind farm has an unacceptable impact on the environment, adapting the location before the farm is established is a possibility.
When one of the largest offshore wind farms to date – Horns Rev Reef in Denmark – was finished, a number of studies were conducted to assess the wind farm’s environmental impact on birds, fish, porpoises, seals and fauna. Read more about the studies at www.hornsrev.dk.