Coral reefs: Marine biologists hope offshore wind farms can provide an ocean safe haven

For the first time, marine biologists have placed coral larvae at the base of offshore turbines in an attempt to grow new reefs. If the approach is successful, wind farms in tropical waters could provide safe haven for ocean wildlife

By Corryn Wetzel

For the first time, researchers have seeded part of an offshore wind turbine with thousands of coral larvae. If the larvae latch onto the structure and flourish, turbines in tropical waters could become havens for struggling corals.  

“It’s something that no one has done before,” says Madeline Hodge at the Danish energy company Ørsted, which has partnered with researchers at Penghu Marine Biology Research Center in Taiwan for the project called ReCoral.  

The idea is to address the loss of reefs worldwide by providing new habitats for corals. Because reefs are highly sensitive to changes in water temperature …