My name is Phebe, and I’m a 26-year-old woman based in Port Kembla. The Illawarra coastline is fundamental to my identity. It is the place I call home, the place I learned to swim and the place I was first captivated by the undersea world, which inspired my career as a marine ecologist.
As a marine ecologist, I work with marine and coastal systems. This requires bigger picture thinking, whereby all components of a system are considered and accounted for, from human activity to plants and animals as well as their interactions with the physical environment. This “systems perspective” is useful for determining how one change in a system may impact other parts of a system.
On June 15, the minister for climate and energy declared a 1,022 km2 area 20km off the Illawarra coast for offshore renewable energy. The proposed offshore wind projects have provoked considerable debate in communities like Wollongong and Shellharbour.
However, it is my view that hyper fixation on provocative arguments grounded in emotion rather than fact has tarnished the integrity of community forums. Platforms designed to educate and consult communities have instead been used to rally, slander, and misinform.
The solution is to think bigger! Using a systems approach to consider the proposed Illawarra offshore wind projects may help unify thinking and support sustainable development in the region.
Below, I borrow from the disciplines of ecology, physics, engineering, psychology, and social science to synthesise key considerations for system components and discuss their implications for the Illawarra and the planet.
Biological impacts
Many people are concerned about the risks of wind turbines for whales, sea birds and other marine life, scientists not excluded.
Noise pollution during installment may affect the ability of whales to communicate with one another, but this risk can be managed through seasonal closures.
Operating wind farms produce less noise pollution than ships with no known negative impacts on marine species.
As for the obstruction wind farms present, whales use echolocation to navigate, which means their spatial awareness depends on the projection of sound and how this sound bounces off objects in their environment.
Navigating around structures like wind turbines is far less risky than navigating shallow coastal slopes with no hard structures, where projected sound waves may propagate all the way onto beaches, leading to navigational errors and possible strandings.
Mooring lines for floating offshore wind farms are not likely to cause entanglements because their ends are fixed, but secondary entanglement may occur if lines ensnare fishing gear and other debris.
The Natural Resources Defence Council has developed a set of monitoring and mitigation recommendations to reduce the risk of secondary entanglement such as monitoring unexpected weight or tension on mooring lines.
Offshore wind turbines may have several possible impacts on birds, including collision; increased energy expenditure from flying around or above structures; avoidance and subsequent habitat loss; and/or attraction.
UK studies have demonstrated that the risk of birds colliding with wind turbines is closely related to flight height, making certain species more vulnerable than others.
This risk can be managed by increasing the height of turbine rotors above the water and using fewer, larger turbines.
Wind farm avoidance behaviours are more concerning, with UK studies reporting decreased energy reserves in migratory birds and/or displacement from breeding habitats. These risks will need to be managed carefully on a species-specific basis.
Fish may indirectly benefit from offshore wind farms. Underwater structures may act as artificial reefs, supporting an increased density of shellfish and other food sources for fish.
By increasing food supply and providing protection from predators, offshore wind farms can increase local fish densities without large-scale effects on fish abundance or diversity.
Fishing exclusion zones around wind turbines may also lead to booms in commercially valuable populations. This marine reserve effect has been shown to enhance commercial and recreational fisheries in adjacent areas.
Impacts on the physical environment
An offshore wind farm introduces new hard structures to the physical environment. The development proposals for the Illawarra depend on floating foundation technologies, which describe turbines attached to floating structures that are moored to three concrete anchor footings on the seafloor (see Figure 2).
This technology offers several advantages compared to fixed offshore turbines, including suitability for deeper environments and more affordable installation. Many of the environmental and social impacts of fixed wind farms are believed to be transferable, but further research is needed.
Some people are concerned about turbines breaking apart, falling into the sea, and polluting the environment during storms. However, these risks can be minimised through engineering properties like cut-off speeds, whereby rotations stop at wind speeds likely to cause hub damage, or pendulum dampers, which reduce bidirectional vibrations and improve structure longevity by more than 50%. Of greater concern is the potential pollution resulting from increased vessel traffic or contaminants released from seabed disturbance.
Wind turbines don’t last forever. After an average lifespan of 20 – 25 years, thoughtful decommissioning can minimise environmental impacts and maintain biodiversity on the seafloor. The incineration or landfilling of old wind turbines is environmentally damaging, but 85 – 90% of wind turbine materials are currently recyclable and emerging technologies like Thermoplastic Elium resin blades may soon increase this to 100%.
The effects of offshore wind developments on ocean hydrodynamics are well documented at a local scale. Studies have demonstrated that wind farms are unlikely to have significant impacts on regional current profiles, although they may lead to increased mixing of ocean layers as well as wave generation within a turbine array.
Impacts on wave generation have not been observed on a scale that would impact surf conditions; a statement supported by Professor Rob Brander, a geomorphologist specialising in wave production, who claims, “[Offshore wind] is not going to impact the swell at all…the impact is literally zero.”
Socio-economic impacts
There are many marine and coastal industries operating out of the Illawarra, which will likely be affected by the proposed offshore wind developments. For example, commercial fisheries in the Illawarra region supply approximately 500 tonnes of fish to Sydney Fish Market at an approximate value of $6 million per annum.
Earlier, we discussed how a fishing exclusion zone around wind farms may increase local fish populations and augment fisheries production in adjacent areas. However, there are many trawl operators who currently access the proposed offshore wind farm area who are highly concerned that restricted access to high value fishing areas will limit their income and affect the viability of their businesses .
These concerns are echoed by fishing industries around the globe and should be taken seriously. Compensation is one option for managing expected impacts on the fishing industry.
Another industry that may be affected is tourism. The Illawarra Shoalhaven region receives approximately twelve million visitors each year with 2021/2022 tourism sales in Wollongong City estimated at $1,126.9 million.
People visit the Illawarra for its beaches, urban centre, and adventure sports (e.g., scuba diving, hang gliding, hiking, etc.). Research indicates that offshore wind farms are impactful and often detrimental to tourism and recreation in coastal areas, mainly due to the loss of visual amenity. This could be managed in the Illawarra through the adoption of a distinct Tourism and Recreation Impact Assessment.
I have seen claims on the internet that offshore wind farms may be dangerous to hang gliders or skydivers due to increased turbulence. It is true that wind farms generate “wakes”, which are flow regions downwind of turbine arrays with reduced wind speeds and higher turbulence levels. Under some conditions, the wake of large-scale wind farms can extend 90km downwind.
However, wind farm wake is a predictable function of atmospheric properties and can be monitored through changes in thrust coefficients, which describe the axial force exerted by a turbine against the wind. High thrust coefficients occur when wind speeds are low to moderate, and wake is more pronounced. In this way, monitoring of thrust coefficients could be used to help manage wake effects.
Port Kembla is a deepwater port and major international trade hub. It supports more than 3,500 jobs and contributes $543 million to the regional economy each year. The operation of the port depends on the capacity of large vessels to move in and out. This is why the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is currently working with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to identify safe pathways for shipping in and out of Port Kembla.
The proposed offshore wind developments represent an exciting opportunity for economic growth and employment in the Illawarra. A new offshore wind port facility has been proposed in Port Kembla, which would support several wind farms along the east coast and could be operational in as little as five years.
The Illawarra Offshore Wind farm would create around 1,740 jobs during the construction of the wind farm and adjacent port facilities as well as 870 jobs ongoing.
Cultural impacts
The Illawarra has a rich Indigenous history. The Dharawal people have inhabited the region for thousands of years as evidenced by middens in Bulli, Windang, Port Kembla, and North Beach. Their connections to Sea Country run deep, with some Indigenous people perceiving marine mammals as kin.
Genuine and detailed First Nations engagement will be critical for minimising cultural impacts from the proposed offshore wind developments as well as maximising Indigenous employment opportunities and community benefits.
Ideally, engagement should be guided by region-specific First Nations Guidelines from the NSW Government like those developed for Central-West Orana (44). DCCEEW have already conducted some in person meetings with local First Nations groups.
Other cultural considerations include the Illawarra coastline’s aesthetic value and surfer culture.
The coastal lifestyle enjoyed by Illawarra residents depends on the visual amenity of our coastal environments, which will be impacted by the proposed developments, with DCCEEW providing visualisations of what locals can expect to see from Mount Keira, Bulli, Shellharbour, and Port Kembla.
Although the wind farms appear miniscule, these visualisations have many residents concerned that an offshore wind farm will affect their views, with concerns of visual aesthetics and the perceived uglification of natural environments being one of the main drivers for wind farm opposition globally.
It is easy to dismiss the “Not in my Backyard” argument as selfish and small-minded because it impedes the siting and construction of vital facilities. However, this position can also be viewed as a form of place-protective action, whereby people have a positive emotional connection with a familiar place.
Disruption of a familiar place can lead to loss of identity, anxiety, and even trauma. These are real psychological risks that will need to be considered. Due to negligible effects on ocean swell, currents, and wave generation, the proposed offshore wind developments cannot be reasonably conveyed to present a risk to the Illawarra’s surf culture.
The solution
Offshore wind production is a viable, scalable alternative to fossil fuels that is more affordable and less risky than other clean energy technologies like nuclear and hydrogen.
The combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases in the earth’s atmosphere. These gases absorb solar radiation, creating a greenhouse effect and causing global warming.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a body of the United Nations, which releases a peer-reviewed report each year that reflects the consensus of the global scientific community on man made climate change.
The latest IPCC report states that it is highly likely that delayed climate action will lead to global warming in excess of 1.5°C by 2100, surpassing the first goal of the 2010 Paris Agreement.
Following the current trajectory, the IPCC projects an increase of at least 2°C in the average global temperature by the end of this century, which would have devastating impacts on marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
Some of the predicted impacts that I find particularly alarming include global average sea level rise of 0.28 – 0.55m by 2100 and 1.4 – 2x higher flood damages due to extreme weather events.
It is impossible to overstate the urgency of climate action to limit warming below 2°C, and this starts with large-scale investment in renewable technologies that will replace fossil fuels. Offshore wind developments must go ahead, with rapidity.
Considering the best available evidence and with due consideration of expected impacts on biological systems, the physical environment, economies, and communities, offshore wind development can be expected to have a net positive effect on the Illawarra.
Although an offshore renewable energy area has been declared, offshore wind development is not a “done deal”. Projects cannot go ahead without an Environmental Impact Assessment and Commonwealth environmental approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999.
Developers will also need to conduct a detailed Social Impact Assessment and gain planning approval from the NSW State Government under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
These legislations were designed to ensure development projects are risk averse and sustainable. However, the EPBC Act is no longer fit for purpose and is currently under reform. This necessitates greater government caution from an environmental perspective and therefore close consultation with experts.
A systems perspective implies everything is connected, meaning impacts on some system components may lead to unforeseen effects on other components. This is especially true given many of the issues raised by this article have not been studied in the context of the Illawarra.
Extensive research and ongoing monitoring are needed to help manage effects on the local environment, community, and economy. This will greatly reduce, but not eliminate, uncertainty about the impacts of the proposed offshore wind farm.
Acknowledging uncertainty is a form of critical reflection that is common practice in science. It is not an excuse to delay climate action, nor is it an invitation to propagate unsupported claims that intensify uncertainty and impede productive discussions about renewable energy.
We must not let perfect be the enemy of the good!
See here for a full list of references.
Phebe Fidge is a marine ecologist passionate about repairing nature and mitigating the effects of climate change. She has worked in a variety of technical and mentoring roles across the public and private sectors. Phebe has over five years of experience in environmental education and science communications with an Honours degree in ecology and conservation biology from the University of Queensland. She is currently working as a technical officer for the Blue Carbon Lab at Deakin University.
