Atlantis Resources Corporation at EMEC

MRE Project Site

Title: Atlantis Resources Corporation at EMEC

Status:

Operation Ended

Tech Developer:

SAE Renewables

Start Date:

August 1, 2011

End Date:

January 1, 2016

Info Last Updated:

November 21, 2023

Contact:

Jennifer Fox
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PRIMRE Link:

Projects Database

Website:

External Link

Details

Device Name:

AK-1000

Technology:

Support Structure:

Project Scale:

Grid Connection:

Installed Capacity:

1 MW

Electrical Infrastructure:

Unburied Seafloor Cables

Country:

United Kingdom

Physical Site:

Open Coast, Shallow Channel (<40m), Noisy Environment (>80 dB), Isolated/Quiet Environment (<80 dB)

Water Depth:

33 m

Description

Atlantis installed one 1000kW tidal energy conversion device (AK-1000), at the Fall of Warness tidal energy test site at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in 2011. The device was due to be operational in August 2010; however, due to technical problems the site was delayed until August 2011.

The AK-1000 device operated with two sets of blades fitted on a single unit, which was designed to tackle reflux and flood tides. The diameter of each blade was 18m, which rotated slowly at a rate of six to eight revolutions a minute, resulting in low environmental impact.

Location

The device was installed at European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) tidal device test area in Fall of Warness, Orkney, UK. Water Depth: 33m. Tidal range: 3m. Tidal speeds up to 3.7 m/s.

Licensing Information

As part of the decommissioning plan in 2004, Atlantis Operations Ltd applied for two consultation rounds. The first was sent to 16 DECC (formerly DTI/BERR) specific stakeholders including; The Chamber of Shipping, Historic Scotland, Orkney Fisheries Association and the Orkney Island Council. The second report produced to apply towards specific government departments, including; CEFAS, Marine Scotland, the Crown Estate and The UK Hydrographic Office. The stakeholders had a statutory 30 days to provide consultation Responses.

Project Progress

The AK-1000 tidal turbine was planned to be installed in August 2010 at EMEC’s test sites, Orkney. However, due to construction issues, the installation was delayed until August 2011. After a 12 month period, the Mark 1 nacelle was replaced by a Mark 2 nacelle. The Mark 2 nacelle had identical dimensions as those of the Mark 1 turbine, and was able to maintain a maximum power output of 1MW. Replacement of the turbine nacelle did not require replacement of the Gravity Base Steel Support Structure.

The Mark 2 turbine operated at the EMEC test facility until 2016 when decommissioning commenced.

In 2018, a Marine License was issued under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 for the decommissioning of the Gravity Base Steel Support Structure.

Key Environmental Issues

Baseline studies for the Fall of Warness test site were performed by EMEC and can be found here.

The sites seabed ranges from eroding sub-littoral sandbanks in the east to smooth scoured bedrock ridges and platforms with occasional boulders towards the center of the site. Fall of Warness is not a protected area; however, there are protected sites in close proximity. These include:

Faray and Holm of Faray SAC – protected for its grey seal populations.
Sanday SAC – Protected for its harbor seal populations, intertidal mudflats and sandflats, inshore sublittoal rock and subtidal sandbanks.
Muckle and Little Green Holm SSSI – Nationally important grey seal breeding colony (Around 3% of the national breeding population).

Environmental Monitoring: Atlantis Resources Corporation at EMEC

Phase

Stressor

Receptor

Searches description, design & methods, results.

ID	Phase	Stressor & Receptor	Design and Methods	Results
6574	Baseline	Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement	Atmosphere Emissions. Assessment of major ecological impacts Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Degradation to the quality or availability of habitats and/or wildlife with recovery taking more than 2 years.
6575	Baseline	Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement	Assessment of moderate ecological impacts. Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Change in habitats or species beyond natural variability with recovery potentially within 2 years.
6576	Baseline	Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement	Assessment of minor ecological disturbances. Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Change in habitats or species which can be seen and measured but is at same scale as natural variability.
6577	Baseline	Changes in Flow, Habitat Change Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement	Assessment of negligible effects. Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Change in habitats or species within scope of existing variability and difficult to measure or observe.
6578	Baseline	Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Stakeholder Engagement	Impact of local fisheries (including diving fishermen). Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Test site boundary/lease area has been reduced based on consultations undertaken with fishermen.
6579	Baseline	Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement	Loss of ballast blocks. Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Handling equipment used are tested and designed to withstand large loads. Any lessons learned during the installation phase will be implemented as required during decommissioning.
6580	Baseline	Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement	Waste disposal practices. Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed The nacelle will be disassembled and extensively studied following testing to inform future design improvements. Once investigations are completed all components will be handled in accordance with waste hierarchy with priority on re use and recycling. Any items disposed of will be done so in line with legislative requirements to avoid unnecessary environmental impact.
6581	Baseline	Human Dimensions, Navigation, Stakeholder Engagement	Hazard to navigation from presence of vessel. Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Risk migration/controls determined by the NSRA. The work will be broadcasted by appropriate notices to mariners and navigational warnings. The removal of the nacelle, cable disconnected and GBS removal expected to be a maximum three days of activity. The fall of Warness will still be navigable around the proposed works.
6571	Baseline	Noise Birds, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement	Noise and vibrations from vessels engine could cause disturbance to wildlife – Presence of international, nationally and locally important species including seals, cetaceans and birds. Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Little known data on the impact of DP vessels in shallow water, but the noise output may be similar to the cumulative noise output of several vessels.
6572	Baseline	Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Birds, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement	Wildlife disturbance due to vessel presence and use of DP system – Presence of international, national, and locally important species including seals, cetaceans and birds. Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Over a vessel present for 1 day with regular use of thrusters to maintain position.
6573	Baseline	Changes in Flow Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement	Atmosphere emissions study. Desk based review. Consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.	Completed Winds in Orkney average force 3, and in winter force 6. Atmospheric emissions are rapidly depressed naturally.
6582	Post-Installation Monitoring	Avoidance Marine Mammals	Marine Mammal Observations (MMO). During the summer period in 2011 Atlantis visited the site with a DP vessel on four separate occasions, where a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) was employed to observe the site from a vantage point on Eday. For operations in July a second MMO was employed to monitor the immediate vicinity of the vessel during DP operations.	Completed (2011) No mammals were spotted during any of the DP operations.