Daily Archives: July 2, 2021

Last week, the Louisiana Governors Office hosted Louisiana Wind Week 2021 to assess Louisianas future in offshore wind energy development. Louisiana Wind Week followed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)s first Gulf of Mexico Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force meeting, which was held on June 15.

The first-day session focused onFederal and State administration priorities and regulatory overviews of offshore wind leasing.Included onthepanel were representatives from both Federal and State agencies, including BOEM, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development.

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Secretary Tom Harris emphasized that, because of the decades of offshore oil and gas exploration and development, Louisiana already has the expertise, infrastructure, supply chains, shipyards, ports, and experienced workforce vital to developing offshore wind energy, putting the State in an optimal economic position.

Additionally, BOEM Gulf of Mexico Regional DirectorMichaelCelata, discussed the four stages of BOEMs renewable energy authorization process, which include (1) planning and analysis, (2) leasing, (3) site assessment, and (4) construction and operations. BOEM is currently in the planning and analysis stage, and recently put out a Request for Interest (RFI)in commercial leasing for wind power development on the GOM Outer Continental Shelf. The panelists stressed the importance of public comment to the RFI, which is due July 26.

The webinar series continued on day two with presentations and discussions focusing on environmental impacts in the GOM as a result of offshore wind energy development and how to mitigate such impacts. Panelists includes representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The third day focused on engaging existing GOM users and understanding their concerns. Emphasis was placed on the goal of mutual coexistence between all users of the GOM region, including developers of wind energy.

During the presentation, Daniel Ingold, Program Manager at Jacobs Engineering Group, gave a presentation on wind power and provided a broad overview of what wind farms in the GOM could look like. Foundations for offshore wind turbines can be either fixed or floating. The fixed foundations are used in water depths less than 200 feet, whereas the floating foundations can be used in greater depths. Thus, it is more likely we will see floating foundations used in the GOM. Another advantage of floating foundations is that they can be constructed dockside then towed to position and repositioned. Grid patterns are typically used for the layout of these wind farms,withsignificant space between each turbine due to logistics and wake effect. The turbinesare connected to each other by transmission cables, with one major export cable that goes to the shore.Most of the cables are buried,but in areas where the cable cannot be buried, due to situations like pipeline crossings,the cables will be coveredwith castiron shortsection covers and concrete mattresses.

Day four focused on the transmission process and the various roles, processes, and key issues involved in connecting offshore wind to users. Joshua Gange, Renewable Energy Program Specialist at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), provided an overview of the offshore wind transmission network. The transmission process is complex due to the number of parties involved, the varying roles each party undertakes, and the unique characteristics of the Gulf, among other factors.

The final day of Louisiana Wind Week placed an emphasis on the supply chain capacity for offshore wind development inLouisiana. The session consisted of two panel discussions focused on different aspects of the supply chain. A main takeaway from both panelswasthat Louisiana has a large competitive advantage in all areas of wind energy development due to its years of offshore oil and gas expertise.

Offshore wind development in the GOM region is still in the planning stage. Louisiana Wind Week 2021 highlighted many of the technical, legal, and socioeconomic issues that state and federal agencies will face in the coming years. Stay tuned for additional updates on the Energy Law Blog.

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Louisiana's Future in Offshore Wind: Takeaways from Louisiana Wind Week - The Energy Law Blog

COPENHAGEN, July 1 (Reuters) - The United States must speed up project permits if it is to meet the Biden administration's 2030 target for offshore wind power, major developer Orsted (ORSTED.CO) said on Thursday.

The United States, with just two small offshore wind facilities, has lagged European nations in developing the renewable energy technology. read more

The administration of President Joe Biden has set a goal to install 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power capacity in U.S. waters by 2030 nearly the amount that already exists in Europe's two-decade old industry. Yet it can take as much as 10 years to plan and build new projects.

"To have 30 GW installed by 2030 will mean that permitting processes need to be expedited," Orsted's chief commercial officer and deputy CEO Martin Neubert told Reuters.

Neubert spoke a day after New Jersey regulators announced that Denmark's Orsted and a consortium of Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) and EDF (EDF.PA) had been awarded two offshore wind farm tenders in the Northeastern state, the largest such awards in U.S. history. read more

Biden's move towards wind power came after his predecessor, Donald Trump, threw the industry into doubt when he cancelled the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm's permit application during his term. read more

"No doubt that the entire offshore wind industry in the U.S. has been suffering from the permitting moratorium that we have experienced over the last years," Neubert said and welcomed efforts by the Biden administration to make amends.

"We see real actions in creating the momentum to move forward on the federal permitting side," he added. .

Significant amounts of new seabed leases and a massive build-out of the grid were also needed in order to reach the ambitious target, Neubert said.

Reporting by Stine Jacobsen; Editing by Pravin Char

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Read the original here:

U.S. must speed up offshore wind permits to hit Biden target, Orsted says - Reuters

Issued on: 02/07/2021 - 13:36

Unlike its European neighbours, France has been remarkably reluctant to accept offshore wind technology. In a country where nuclear still reigns supreme, earmarked projects have often stalled, mired in debate and controversy. But with growing pressure to develop renewable energy infrastructure, is France ready to embrace the winds of change? We take a closer look in this edition of Down to Earth.

A single offshore turbine

France has only one offshore turbine, installed for research purposes in Saint-Nazaire, off the coast of Brittany. That's in contrast to 1,500 in Germanyand more than 2,000 in the United Kingdom.

The floating test turbine measures the amount of electricity produced under different conditions, including wind speeds of 170km/h and waves of 13 metres.

Compared to onshore, an offshore wind turbine turns more quickly and for longer, meaning it produces more electricity.

Bertrand Alessandrini, a marine engineering researcher at Centrale Nantes, says France is one of very few countries to still ask whether wind power has a future.He says:"The real question is: will France, which has the assets to be a leader in this form of energy, seize the opportunity or not?''

France does however have grand ambitions10 GW of installed power, the equivalent of almost 10 nuclear reactors, by 2035.

'Keeping the sea alive'

Many fishermen off the coast of Brittany are united in their fight against a 62-turbine offshore wind project, currently under construction near Saint-Brieuc.

Local sea snail fisherman Florentin Saulnier warns it will impact his livelihood as well as biodiversity in the bay. It also means he will needto travel further away to fish, wasting precious time and money.

He says fishermen are not interestedin subsidiesto compensate for the damagethey simply want to live off theirwork.

Offshore turbines and biodiversity are compatible

BOB is a 15-metre-highyellowbiodiversity observation buoy. It's been set up off the coast of Leucate in the Mediterranean Sea, in another site designated for turbines, in this case floating ones.

Gilles Lecaillon from Ecocean, the company behind the project, explains that one of BOB's goals is to learn about the biodiversity that can live on artificial structures 15 or 16km offshore.

Below the buoy, Ecocean has built small habitats, called biohuts, which are artificial nurseries that offer both shelter and food to young fish, allowing them to survive in areas where they wouldn't normally be able to.

Results so far are encouraging and Lecaillon says the next phase will involve building these microhabits onto a floating turbine.

Lecaillon hopes he will be able to show fishermen that there may be more fish, not less, around floating offshore wind projects. He adds:"I sincerely believe that offshore wind turbines and marine biodiversity, at least underwater, can be compatible and positive."

Read this article:

Down to Earth - Offshore wind: France's turbine turmoil - FRANCE 24

Posted on July 2, 2021 at 11:25 am by Jake Fish

Click Here to Apply to be One of Two Teams to Represent the USA

BRISTOL, R.I. (July 2, 2021) US Sailing has been invited by World Sailing and event host, Nostra Rosa Regatta, to select two mixed offshore doubles teams for the 2021 HEMPEL Offshore World Championships on September 16 26 in Italy.

The selection process will be conducted by resume and all interested teams are invited to submit their indication of interest and sailing resume to US Sailing by completing the application form. Submissions are due no later than Thursday, July 15, 2021.

The costs are approximately $12,000 for charter of the boat, accommodations, food, and ground transportation. Airfares and damage deposit are additional.

The Selection Procedures, Notice of Race, and additional regatta documents have been posted.

Click Here to Apply to be One of Two Teams to Represent the USA

Read more here:

US Sailing to Select Two Teams for 2021 Double Mixed Offshore World Championship - US SAILING

Chinese OEM MingYang is supersizing its offshore turbine portfolio, preparing to install a prototype of its 11MW MySE11-203 with a 203-metre rotor in October.

It is also developing a 15MW platform with rotor sizes of 225-236 metres-plus for both high-wind and low-wind global markets, with a prototype planned within two to three years.

Both models are again based on MingYang's proven hybrid-drive concept, which combines compactness with favourable head mass weight, making it highly suitable for floating wind applications. These, in turn, build on a legacy of multiple smaller, "lightweight" hybrid-drive models from 3MW upwards, all based on the original Super Compact Drive (SCD) technology developed by German engineering consultancy aerodyn.

With Chinese offshore wind subsidies ending on 31 December, it's a busy year for MingYang in its home market, according to the company's president and chief technology officer (CTO), Qiying Zhang. The manufacturer is pushing several volume models in parallel: 5.5MW, 6.45MW, 7.25MW and the latest 8.3MW MySE8.3-180.

The 300MW Zhuhai Jinwan project featuring MySE5.5-155 turbines was commissioned in April

"This year's total numbers installed in Chinese waters will include several hundred MySE6.45-180 units our current main volume model," he says.

"With more and more experience gained in offshore projects, the in-house installation capability being built goes through a steep offshore learning curve, including the fact that installation vessels have become so much more efficient in just a year that they can now install nearly twice as many turbines. And we noticed that new market entrants provide adapted and modified 'semi-stationary' oil-rig-type jack-ups as installation solutions, which further helps for some projects."

In preparation for the 11MW prototype installation this October, the gearbox and generator are currently being bench tested and validated, Zhang says. The first batch of four 99-metre blades has also been completed three for the prototype and one to be tested and validated statically and dynamically in the next few months.

This 11MW giant for high-wind IEC IB sites is also designed for typhoon-class (IEC TC) conditions, and the 203-metre rotor diameter (specific power rating of 340W/m2) ranks it among the world's biggest rotor sizes at present. Distinct hybrid-drive technology features include a flanged semi-integrated drivetrain with an unusual in-house developed two-stage planetary gearbox incorporating a single rotor bearing, and a permanent magnet generator (PMG).

The MySE11-203 medium-speed gearbox has a modest 1:21.9 step-up ratio, which together with 9rpm-rated rotor speed, results in 197.1rpm for the generator. This generator is flanged to a horizontal-to-vertical cast rear section that is directly mounted to the tower via the yaw bearing, without a separate nacelle cover. As is typical for hybrid-drive models, the gearbox, generator and rear-end horizontal housings have similar outer diameters and mounting flanges.

"The MySE11-203 further has a nacelle mass of only 388 tonnes. This is largely thanks to the double functionality of the housings in absorbing and transferring both structural loads and torque," Zhang explains.

"The current torque density of our gearboxes ranges from 140Nm/kg to 180Nm/kg, and all units are equipped with roller-type bearings in combination with our in-house flex-pin technology for even load distribution between the planets. The introduction of journal bearings is the next important drivetrain technology advancement step aimed at further boosting gearbox torque density levels. These bearings are currently being field-tested on an onshore model, and the first serial application will also be land-based", he adds.

MingYang develops and produces all blades for its entire turbine range in-house. The 86.5-metre blades for the 8.3MW offshore model its longest blades up to now is still being built in glass-fibre reinforced epoxy (GFRE). However, for the 99-metre MySE11-99A1 blades with 38.5-tonne mass, the company switched to glass and carbon reinforced epoxy (G&CRE) composite. In comparison, Vestas' V174-9.5MW, introduced in 2019 and also designed for IEC IB and typhoon class IEC TC, has 85-metre blades each weighing 35 tonnes.

The MySE11-203's 95.6m/s rated tip speed is substantially higher set against the "semi-standard" roughly 90m/s for offshore application, but markedly less than the 104m/s value Vestas announced for the V236-15.0 MW.

"Our first 11MW prototype, like other MingYang offshore models, has its power-electronic system (converter, switchgear, transformer) located in the tower base. This could prove an optimal positioning for future floating wind applications because lowering the centre of gravity offers enhanced floater and overall systems stability," Zhang says.

'An alternative option being evaluated is to move all power electronics to the nacelle level. We also established a new department focused on the development, manufacturing, transportation and utilisation of hydrogen solutions. The integration with wind power requires another close look at systems positioning and optimising."

He adds that MingYang's internationalisation efforts are clearly starting to bear fruit. The company is making its offshore market entry in Europe, shipping ten 3MW MySE3.0-135 turbines to the30MW Port of Taranto Port of Taranto (30MW) Offshoreoff Taranto, Apulia, Italy, Europe Click to see full detailsprojectin July, for completion by the end of the year.

This venture involves setting up a local service organisation. The company is in advanced discussions with a European developer for a major North Sea project and has several other wind farms in Europe under negotiation. MingYang also established a business and engineering centre in the German port of Hamburg and is considering building a factory in one of the continent's main wind markets. Closer to home, the firm expects to sign a contract with a Japanese client for a bottom-fixed project this year.

"These first steps to expand our international footprint are supported by a cumulative 10GW hybrid-drive onshore and offshore turbine track record, together with growing developer and market confidence in our technology," Zhang concludes. 'The MySE11-203 turbine will be certified by international certification body DNV, with a type certificate expected in late 2022. It is, above all, another major stepping-stone in our longer-term goal to become one of the leading global offshore wind suppliers."

In the second half of this year, developer China Three Gorges will install China's first floating wind system, a semi-submersible floater with a MingYang 5.5MW turbine atop, off the coast of Yangjiang City in Guangdong province.

Libing Zou, technical director of MingYang's wind energy research institute, is in charge of wind-turbine system development, including floating offshore wind turbines. He explains that boundary conditions in Chinese waters can currently be challenging for all developers due to shallow water depths.

MingYang's MySE5.5-155 turbine will sit on a semi-submersible platform for the China Three Gorges floating installation

In the section of the South China Sea where the prototype floating unit will be operating, typical boundary conditions include ~8m/s mean wind speeds, and up to 70m/s extreme wind conditions during typhoon events.

Fully understanding local boundary conditions, including typhoon occurrences, and evaluating them against system costs and stability poses some of the most intense challenges for his engineers, according to Zou.

His team developed an advanced floating system platform motion controller that incorporates sophisticated control strategies for surge and sway motion dampening and counteracting negative dampening impact.

"To reduce loads and improve stability, we are researching a model-based prediction control strategy, creating a wind turbine model for power generation and load control. It takes into account mechanical vibration characteristics of the drivetrain, electro-mechanical conversion dynamics of the generator, and aerodynamic characteristics of the blades and rotor. We added a forward-looking wind-speed estimate function, which can potentially boost energy capture. The accuracy of the wind turbine dynamic model is essential to the control effect, some model parameters need to be identified by on-site testing, and we have our model verified by a measurement campaign."

The floating wind turbine is further equipped with hundreds of sensors for full monitoring of the turbine operation, and it transmits vibrations of the floating platform, tower, blade and other large components to the main control system for real-time monitoring and protection. This remote systems-control capability is continuously reinforced and updated by big data accumulated from hundreds of MingYang offshore and onshore turbines operating in typhoon-prone conditions.

The 5.5MW nacelle ready for installation on China's first floating offshore wind installation

"This first floating wind turbine is optimised to adapt the surge and sway motion. We continue to iterate and update our current and future products to meet market requirements. These experiences will be carried over to future floating turbine projects with MingYang hardware, to continuously find the best ways to improve balancing floater and system cost and stability, and ultimately LCoE performance", he concludes.

More here:

MingYang targets floating and supersized offshore wind - Windpower Monthly

The following opinion column is from Gustav Witzoe, CEO and president of SalMar Group.

SalMar and I have great faith in a future where Norwegian aquaculture will use the large Norwegian sea areas in the open sea, outside the current production areas.

However, this enthusiasm will never displace our belief in coastal aquaculture.

It is, and will be, the very foundation for both SalMar and the Norwegian aquaculture industry -- coastal aquaculture that has made Norway the world's leading salmon producer and this will continue to be the case in the future as far as we can see today.

It is today's coastal aquaculture that will be the foundation, and pivotal in whether we will succeed further offshore.

These important points have unfortunately been overshadowed in an enthusiastic report in Intrafish [published in Norwegian on IntraFish.com]triggered by the fact that SalMar has been visited by a delegation of prominent Center Party politicians on tour on the Trondelag coast.

On behalf of SalMar and the company's 1,700 employees, I would like to thank Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, Ole Borten Moe and the rest of the party's delegation who visited our company, which provides many jobs along the Norwegian coast.

It has come to my attention that the report was perceived by some as a little too one-sided in favor of sea-based aquaculture. Let me assure everyone that the dialogue on Froya was more balanced than a few sentences in a report can imply.

Let me first and foremost state that my enthusiasm for offshore aquaculture is not due to a lack of faith in coastal aquaculture.

SalMar invests billions annually in the entire value chain for the production and processing of salmon based on traditional, coastal aquaculture.

Norwegian aquaculture has undergone a formidable development in its 51 years, and will continue to do so in the future. New equipment has been developed, and more exposed areas are starting to be used -- with environmentally sustainable growth as a hallmark.

At the same time, the industry must continue to be a driving force for continuous improvement, not least to meet the environmental and area challenges it faces.

If Norway is to fulfill its ambition of being the world's leading seafood nation, we must also use the enormous Norwegian sea areas in the open sea.

There are still many good locations for producing salmon in the traditional coastal areas. These must be further developed, and more must be used. But there are more and more stakeholders in the same areas, and we will experience greater scarcity of space.

For this reason, it is important for Norwegian aquaculture that there is a development that makes it possible to produce salmon outside the current production areas.

SalMar wants to be central in the development of equipment and modes of operation that make this possible.

The industry and SalMar have a reasonable expectation for a set of regulations that make it possible to apply for production permits also in the open sea, without this affecting the growth opportunities within the current production areas. It has been two and a half years since an inter-ministerial working group presented models for this in its report Offshore Aquaculture - new technology - new opportunities.

The time has now come for the next step.

Technological development in the industry is progressing fast, both in Norway and other countries. It would be a shame if Norway took a back seat in relation to competitor countries where billions are being invested in aquaculture both on land and at sea.

It is all the more important that Norway fully invests in sustainable growth in coastal aquaculture and at the same time opens up for offshore aquaculture.

Both parts are important for Norway's future: Sea and coast go hand in hand.

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SalMar CEO: Offshore and coastal salmon farming go 'hand-in-hand' - IntraFish

By TAYLOR HAELTERMANCapital News Service

LANSING Coastal wind is a strong, consistent power source and Michigans more than 3,000 miles of coast could provide double the electricity residents used from all sources in 2019.

Thats according to a recent report using data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that evaluated the energy potential of offshore winds across the United States. The report was produced by Environment America and Frontier Group organizations that provide information on and work to improve the environment.

The wind off the shores of the Great Lakes could provide electricity for Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin, the report said. New York was excluded from the Great Lakes region because its offshore energy potential comes from the Atlantic Ocean.

Of these states, Michigan has the most potential.

Offshore wind could generate three-quarters of the states predicted electricity use for 2050 with full electrification, according to the report.

Full electrification means switching the state to electric power entirely from buildings to transportation to industry, said report co-author Hannah Reed.

The next-closest Great Lakes state in 2050 coastal power generation potential is Wisconsin at 27%, according to the report.

Taylor Haelterman

This potential is technical potential, which means its the total energy generation possible from wind in that area. That doesnt mean all that energy would necessarily be harvested, said Reed who is Environment Americas Go Big on Offshore Wind program associate.

We say technical potential specifically because its just that its potential, she said. Were not necessarily saying that we should develop all this offshore wind. Were just saying this is what is there, and this is what we could be using.

We also recognize that with technology improving and becoming even more efficient and powerful, the technical potential could increase in future years.

Turbines that look like giant, three-pronged windmills that can stand on the lakebed or be floating and anchored to it would generate the power.

The benefit of offshore wind is that its strong and consistent, making it a reliable option that can generate more power than wind over land, the report said.

And theres the benefit that its renewable energy.

Instead of relying on dirty fossil fuels, youre transitioning to use clean renewable energy that can power a much cleaner and healthier future for everybody, Reed said.

But there are hurdles. Depending on the lake, there can be limited usable areas, winter ice floes that could damage floating turbines and conflicting uses, she said.

Beyond technological barriers, two of the largest barriers are community and political acceptance of offshore wind projects because the Great Lakes are important to us, said Dan Scripps, the chair of the Public Service Commission.

Its important to discuss offshore wind development before projects are proposed because current laws for wind project permits might be insufficient, and offshore wind farms wont be a good fit everywhere, Scripps said.

Theres no silver bullet. Theres no perfect answer. Its sort of balancing the tradeoffs that you see, Scripps said.

But I also think that if were thoughtful and are willing to have conversations around what are the right spots and what are the wrong spots for ecological or other reasons, in advance we can build a strategy, whether thats Michigan or across the Great Lakes, that identifies places that might be more suitable, he said.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Having a plan in place will provide a clearer path forward that builds on supporters of offshore wind, Scripps said.

But those struggles dont mean offshore wind farms in the region are impossible.

The report said the Icebreaker Wind project in Ohio, set to be completed in 2023, is the only offshore wind project in the Great Lakes region. That partnership between the Lake Erie Energy Development Corp. and Fred. Olsen Renewables will place a wind farm in Lake Erie 8 miles north of Cleveland, according to the corporation.

Dave Karpinski, the president of the Lake Erie Energy Development Corp., said the company wont build more wind farms because its icebreaker project is meant to pave the way for others.

Our vision is that, if this first project can develop, then that will open the door to a competitive market to really come in and let the competitive forces drive down costs and come up with the best solution, Karpinski said.

Report coauthor Reed said, We know that offshore wind in the Great Lakes is poised to take off, its just a matter of states making those commitments and being confident enough in the potential.

Taylor Haelterman reports for Great Lakes Echo.

Go here to see the original:

Offshore wind could provide double the electricity Michigan residents used in 2019 - Spartan Newsroom - Spartan Newsroom

Offshore aquaculture not only increases the global seafood supply but also serves to temper or mitigate the effects of climate change, according to researchers who spoke at a June 29 online congressional briefing presented by the American Fisheries Society and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The first and last word in aquaculture in the United States is conservation, said Jesse Trushenski, chief science officer and vice president of animal welfare for Riverence, the largest producer of farmed rainbow trout and steelhead in the Americas.

A proposed Pacific Ocean AquaFarms project, spearheaded by the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute and Long Beach-based investment group Pacific6 Enterprises, aims to produce up to 5,000 metric tons of yellowtail fish annually in federal waters about four miles off the coast of Bird Rock.

Were moving that project forward, Hubbs-Seaworld President and Chief Executive Don Kent said at the webinar, noting that the project is under review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Southern California is a huge seafood market, Kent said. If we can grow our seafood four miles out to sea and put it in our own processing plants instead of growing the fish in Australia and flying it 7,300 miles into our market, its a huge opportunity that allows sustainability moving forward.

Matt OMalley, executive director and managing attorney for environmental group San Diego Coastkeeper, which has opposed the Pacific Ocean AquaFarms project, did not attend the briefing but told the La Jolla Light that there is nothing sustainable about offshore finfish aquaculture except sustained damage to our environment. Offshore finfish operations pollute the ocean with fish waste, feed and antibiotics, harm wild bird populations and marine mammals including whales and sea lions, spread disease to native fish and threaten local fishing industries.

Kent said at the webinar that we do a wide range of environmental work in several different study areas, including research of sustainable seafood development.

Whats been frustrating to us over the years has been this inability to transfer what weve learned how to do with these different species into the commercial sector, where the real benefit can be realized, Kent said.

The world is hungry, Trushenski said. Its estimated that we need to be producing roughly 60 percent more food by the year 2050 due to population growth.

We could feed a couple billion more people with more chicken and pork and beef, but that would require more acres for crop production, she said.

When we think of aquatic conservation, one of the most important variables is land use and how that impacts watersheds, Trushenski said.

With more than 80 percent of fish stocks currently either fully exploited, in recovery from overfishing or unfortunately still in decline, she said, aquaculture has emerged to fill this growing seafood gap.

Trushenski added that about half the worlds seafood now comes from farms and that there is more farmed fish and shellfish produced each year than we produce beef.

Aquaculture is diverting harvest pressure that would otherwise be applied to wild fish, she said. Nearly all fisheries are already at their limit and are likely to become increasingly vulnerable to overharvest as a result of climate change and other stressors. Aquaculture helps by relieving this added pressure, allowing us to meet that growing seafood demand without decimating fisheries.

Climate change, marked in the oceans by less oxygen and more acidity, leads to smaller, less robust fish, Trushenski said.

She said aquaculture can help us to produce the additional food that we need with a smaller carbon footprint, less consumption of fresh water and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases.

Seth Theuerkauf, science coordinator with the NOAA Fisheries office of aquaculture, said American marine aquaculture really presents a unique and really important opportunity in light of climate change.

Seafood has long been known to be one of the worlds most traded commodities, and because of that, supply chains can be complex, long and emissions-intensive, he said. Aquaculture has the potential to shorten supply chains, thereby reducing emissions, he added.

Theuerkauf said the United States is 17th in the world in aquaculture production. If were able to increase our ability to produce more seafood domestically through aquaculture, were able to achieve those efficiencies in terms of reduction in emissions, he said.

Commercial seafood production, Theuerkauf said, also provides benefits such as removal of excess nutrients from water bodies, provision of habitat for wildlife like juvenile fish and possibly the buffering of ocean acidification through seaweed farming.

Within the Pacific Northwest, hatcheries have been able to adapt to increasingly acidic seawater by actually buffering intake seawater to boost survival of shellfish within hatcheries, he said.

Rebecca Gentry, a postdoctoral researcher at Florida State University whose work focuses on marine aquaculture development, said most marine farms are in the ocean and can have a significant direct impact on the surrounding environment.

There might be negative impacts such as nutrient pollution or introducing diseases into wild species, she said. But there are also positive effects such as carbon sequestration and nutrient absorption, depending on where the farm is located, she added.

We already have the data and models and decision support tools to make good decisions that can account for these factors, Gentry said. Specifically, science-informed siting can identify potential farm locations that are productive and profitable, have lower environmental impacts because of the characteristics of the site and minimize conflicts with other ocean uses, such as military or fishing.

OMalley told the Light that organizations like San Diego Coastkeeper dont necessarily oppose all types of aquaculture.

Other forms of aquaculture, like kelp farming, can offer environmental benefits, he said. But offshore finfish farming has shown to be harmful the world over. San Diego should instead be supporting sustainable native, natural fisheries and our local home-grown fishing industry.

See the original post:

Panel of researchers cites benefits of offshore fish farming - La Jolla Light

CHICAGO The nations largest rooftop venue is right here in Chicago.

Nestled at the end of Navy Pier, Offshore offers panoramic views of Lake Michigan and the city skyline, and provides a unique perspective of Chicago.

The all-weather venue offers a full-service bar and menu, a 20,000-square foot terrace with seven cozy fire pits, an entertainment and gaming area and multiple large gathering spaces for social and corporate events, weddings, and much more.

For firework times, were doing reservations through Tok. Those reservations will be for the premium tables on the side of the venue with the fireworks,Offshores Clay Livingston said.

Visitors can enjoy firework nights on Wednesdays and Saturdays as Offshore provides a unique perspective to catch all the fun.

Offshore Rooftop & Bar1000 E. Grand AveChicago, IL 60611

For more, follow@tomwgnchicagoon Instagram.

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Dine, drink and enjoy fireworks at Offshore, the largest rooftop deck in the country - WGN TV Chicago