10 Things to consider before approving another offshore wind farm: A case study for Highland, Scotland

The sea is often seen as an empty and quiet place, and hence, an appealing location for wind farms and related installations. However, the sea is dynamic, there is a wealth of wildlife, and there are different users of the sea who can conflict with each other. Offshore wind farms must go through planning applications in which a range of concerns have to be addressed for each individual wind farm. There are the obvious concerns, such as visual impacts and risks to birds, bats, fish, and sea mammals, but there is a range of other issues in need of attention. This document presents 10 overlooked and underestimated impacts on the health of the natural environment, from the smallest plankton to the great whales, and the human population. It appears that offshore wind farms are being consented before new models and measurements have become available to assess their impact. Also, recent experiences with terroristic, militaristic and criminal attacks on the offshore wind industry, and disputes between offshore wind farm developers have given reason to reflect. All parties involved in the wind industry are seen to be learning as it goes at the rate at which it is deployed on a large scale. Current impact assessments are for each individual wind farm, ignoring cumulative effects of multiple large offshore wind farms. There will be many unforeseen consequences and what is acceptable today, may not be in the not-too-distant future. • 10 Overlooked and underestimated impacts of offshore wind farms are researched. • Knowledge gaps in planning applications of offshore wind farms are identified. • The pace of development of large offshore wind farms is queried.