For Jennifer Amaral, a University of Rhode Island ocean engineering doctoral student, offshore renewable energy represents an exciting area of ocean study “Offshore wind farms have been quite common in other countries for a long time, and it’s exciting that the United States is adopting more offshore energy options now.” 

And with Rhode Island being the first state in the union to move ahead with offshore renewable energy, via the Block Island Wind Farm, Amaral can count herself among the initial researchers at the five-turbine pilot site in the US. “Participating in the acoustic monitoring efforts at Block Island  provided me with a valuable opportunity to further my research in underwater acoustics.” 

Amaral’s studies concerning the wind farm focus on understanding sound generated by wind farm activity, including construction and operation. The research is important, in part, for helping inform efforts to better understand how ocean life, from fish to whales, are affected in environments populated by turbines. Amaral regularly shares her data related to the impacts of pile driving sounds, as studied during the installation of the local wind farm. Recently, she participated in a webinar, “Learning from the Block Island Wind Farm: Sediment and Sound,” as part of the 17th Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium on Offshore Renewable Energy in the US: Learning as We Go.

During the webinar, fishermen asked if noise tied to future farm construction on the eastern seaboard may ultimately drive fish stocks away. Other attendees expressed interest in what can be done to alert whales to steer clear of the development of offshore wind facilities. 

Amaral explained that loud sounds from impact pile driving during construction have potential to affect marine life but there are many methods that can be used to reduce the sound levels in the environment. “From the initial site selection to the eventual decommissioning of a wind farm,” says Amaral, “it is important to understand the types and levels of sounds generated and employ methods to mitigate their potential effects, if needed.

Through scientific study, Amaral indicates, we can gain the information we need to make complicated decisions about our use of ocean resources. For that reason, she says, the fields of ocean study, including ocean engineering and her own area of underwater acoustics, have much to offer students. 

“I would recommend to students considering working in these areas to get involved early and explore as many avenues you can, from internships to jobs and the variety of other learning opportunities,” Amaral says. 

And never lose sight, she indicates, of the value that can be gained from hands-on experience, like the kind she gained through her research at the Block Island Wind Farm. “Coursework coupled with hands-on experiences have been important in my career development,” she says. “The best advice I can give is to take advantage of any opportunity that will allow you to apply the skills learned in the classroom.”