Ørsted Partners With URI to Advance Technology for Protection of Right Whales
GoLocalProv News Team
Ørsted Partners With URI to Advance Technology for Protection of Right Whales
“The technology exists now to acoustically detect and track marine mammals such as the North Atlantic right whale with fixed and mobile systems and this project will demonstrate this technology,” said James H. Miller, Professor of Ocean Engineering and Oceanography, University of Rhode Island.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Rutgers are also involved in the partnership.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“This unique project unites business and academia, allowing some of the greatest minds to work together to study and deploy new, advanced technology that will enable us to work toward the goal of helping to protect and conserve the right whale,” said Sophie Hartfield Lewis, Ørsted Head of U.S. Permitting.
The Project
The three-year project will rely on data collected from two, near real-time sound detection buoys deployed by WHOI and one experimental buoy deployed by URI.
WHOI and URI will take the lead on advancing localization and detection distance methods for fixed buoy systems.
The project will also feature the use of an unmanned glider that will be led by Rutgers to telemeter to shore in near real-time oceanographic data and detections of marine mammal vocalizations.
The glider will provide a persistent presence within and surrounding the Ørsted lease areas in New Jersey. The project will share oceanographic data via the regional ocean observing data portals such as Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System.
“Our project will help to minimize the impact of wind farm construction and operation on whales so that both we and the whales can reap the long-term benefits of clean energy,” said Mark Baumgartner, Senior Scientist, Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
The information gathered will improve oceanographic models and characterization of the regional habitat, and be leveraged via participation in the established ocean observing systems to improve weather and storm forecasts of benefit to coastal communities.