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Impacts
Habitats and Ecosystems (HE)
Impacts on HE
The impacts identified on HE include pollution, the spread of invasive species, changes in primary productivity, and changes in physical and oceanographic processes. A recent life cycle assessment (LCA) of a deployment scenario for OSW in California highlights the lower life-cycle GHG emissions of OSW compared to solar, natural gas, and coal. Anti-corrosion materials used in steel contents may have the potential for heavy metal trophic transfer. Furthermore, petroleum-based materials used in OSW infrastructure are the highest sources of abiotic depletion, eutrophication potential, and acidification potential. Primary productivity fluctuations of up to 10% can occur in OSW farms. Specifically, floating turbines present a higher risk of spreading invasive species. Modeling by the CEC suggests California OSW could lead to regional fluctuations in upwelling, though the consequences are undetermined. Impacts on HE present significant unknowns based on the information documenting these impacts and demand robust monitoring. However, the proliferation of OSW energy in Europe may suggest a degree of feasibility in managing and mitigating impacts that arise.
HE Literature
Impact
Column 2
Pollution or Invasive Species
Primary Productivity
Physical Processes
Reference
Bang et al (2019)
X
Slavik et al. (2019)
X
X
Floeter et al. (2017)
X
X
Bell et al.(2020)
X
X
Raghukumar et al. (2022)
X
Raghukumaret al. (2024)
X
X
Siederslebenet al. (2018)
X
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