Basically, the construction of yet another offshore wind farm at Horns Rev will have no considerable environmental impact. However, the project will be followed closely, and the animal life in and around the Horns Rev 2 Offshore Wind Farm will be monitored both during the construction phase and the operating phase.  

Especially, the common scoters in the entire Horns Rev are interesting, as previous surveys from Horns Rev 1 showed that the common scoters kept away from the wind farm. Meanwhile, it turned out that the common scoters have returned to the Horns Rev 1 offshore wind farm area. The reasons for this are ambiguous, and the food basics for the common scoters will be surveyed in further detail for the Horns Rev 2 area.

Surveys in connection with the EIA report (Environmental Impact Assessment) comprise:

        • Birds 
        • Fish and mussels
        • Marine mammals
        • Coastal morphology and transport of sedimentation
        • Visual consequences
        • Risk of collision in ship traffic
        • Socio-economic consequences.


Surveys in connection with the construction and the subsequent operation cover:
• Porpoises (during the construction)
• Birds (during operation)
• Food basics for common scoters (razor shells).

All reports are made publicly available upon completion on the website of the Danish Energy Agency. The EIA report as well as a summary report in Danish and English are also available at the website.

 

Baseline studies of birds and marine mammals

Surveys of migration of birds and food basics for birds at Horns Rev have been conducted. The surveys were carried out from 2007 to 2008 and make up a baseline for future surveys. Download the surveys here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food Basis for Common Scoter (2,9 MB) 
Flytællinger af sortænder og andre vandfugle (3,4 MB) (Danish)
Fugletræk ved Horns Rev (1,2 MB) (Danish)
Fugletræk ved Horns Rev - opfølgning (2,7 MB) (Danish)

Surveys showing the reactions of porpoises during monopiling (erection of foundations) at Horns Rev 2 can be found in the below hyperlinks. It turns out that porpoises disappeared during the piling, presumably due to the noise – and returned max 1-2 days later.

Marsvins reaktionsmønstre ved nedhamring af monopæle (2,0 MB) (Danish)
Måling af undervandsstøj ved installation af monopæl (2,0 MB) (Danish)