Webinars for Marine and Wind Energy and the Environment

Since March 2026, the Small Underwater Research Flap Wave Energy Converter (SURF-WEC)—a 1m x 1m oscillating surge device—has been successfully deployed off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Developed by the National Laboratory of the Rockies in partnership with the Hawai'i Marine Energy Center, this project represents a significant step forward in small-scale wave energy technology.

The Wind Energy-Environmental Research & Engagement Network (WREN) is hosting a three-part webinar series on the application, effectiveness, and future development of the Mitigation Hierarchy to improve practice in wind energy and biodiversity, featuring panel discussions with experts from regulation, industry, research, and consultancy across different countries.

Building on webinars 1 & 2: from compliance to strategy — guidance, financing, and pathways towards nature-positive wind energy.

Moderation: 

The Wind Energy-Environmental Research & Engagement Network (WREN) is hosting a three-part webinar series on the application, effectiveness, and future development of the Mitigation Hierarchy to improve practice in wind energy and biodiversity, featuring panel discussions with experts from regulation, industry, research, and consultancy across different countries.

From monitoring to evidence: are we measuring whether mitigation achieves its intended goals?

Moderation: 

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), and Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) hosted an informational Marine Energy Career Panel on 23 April, 2026 featuring U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory staff working to advance the marine energy industry.

The Wind Energy-Environmental Research & Engagement Network (WREN) is hosting a three-part webinar series on the application, effectiveness, and future development of the Mitigation Hierarchy to improve practice in wind energy and biodiversity, featuring panel discussions with experts from regulation, industry, research, and consultancy across different countries.

International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Tasks 59 (WREN) and 60 (CYCLEWIND) are hosting a joint webinar, “Incorporating Biodiversity Metrics into Lifecycle Impact Assessments (LCIA) for wind energy projects”, on 27 March 2026 from 9:00-10:00am EDT (1:00-2:00pm UTC).

OES-Environmental hosted a public webinar, “Supporting Consenting Processes for Marine Renewable Energy: International Perspectives” on October 2, 2025. The webinar included presentations from OES-Environmental, The Crown Estate, and AZTI.

OES-Environmental provided an overview of ongoing research and coordination efforts on environmental effects of marine renewable energy to support responsible development, including best management practices for risk retirement.  

Are you interested in working to help build a renewable energy future? Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) hosted an informational Marine Energy Career Panel on 17 September, 2025 featuring U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory staff working to advance the marine energy industry.

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), hosted an invite-only Software Demo Days series to showcase marine energy software and encourage cross-collaboration among software developers.

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), hosted an invite-only Software Demo Days series to showcase marine energy software and encourage cross-collaboration among software developers.

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), hosted an invite-only Software Demo Days series to showcase marine energy software and encourage cross-collaboration among software developers.

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), hosted an invite-only Software Demo Days series to showcase marine energy software and encourage cross-collaboration among software developers.

MHKiT (Marine Hydrokinetic Toolkit) is a free, open-source software for processing, analyzing, and visualizing marine data written in Python and MATLAB.

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), hosted an invite-only Software Demo Days series to showcase marine energy software and encourage cross-collaboration among software developers.

MoorDyn is a versatile and efficient lumped-mass mooring line model intended for coupling with floating structure codes.

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), hosted an invite-only Software Demo Days series to showcase marine energy software and encourage cross-collaboration among software developers.

OpenFAST is a multi-physics, multi-fidelity tool for simulating the coupled dynamic response of wind and marine turbines.

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), hosted an invite-only Software Demo Days series to showcase marine energy software and encourage cross-collaboration among software developers.

Wave Energy Converter Simulator (WEC-Sim) is an open-source code for simulating wave energy converters. 

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), hosted an invite-only Software Demo Days series to showcase marine energy software and encourage cross-collaboration among software developers. 

The International Energy Agency Wind Task 59: Wind energy-environmental Research & Engagement Network (WREN) (formerly Task 34) hosted a webinar, “Wind Turbine Design and Bats", on 6 November 2024 from 12:00-1:00pm EST (5:00-6:00pm UTC). During the webinar, researchers from the United States presented findings on how turbine size and wake influence bat interactions.

Speakers:

La Agencia Internacional de Energía en su Tarea 34 de Energía Eólica (WREN, por sus siglas en Inglés) organizará un seminario web, "Energía Eólica en América Latina: Soluciones Ambientales y Mejores Prácticas", el 23 de octubre de 2024, de 11:00 a. m. a 12:00 p. m. MDT (5:00 a 6:00 p. m. UTC). Durante el seminario web, investigadores de Argentina, Brasil y Estados Unidos discutirán sobre energía eólica en América Latina y soluciones y mejores prácticas ambientales. El seminario web se realizará en español y portugués.

The International Energy Agency Task 34, Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy (WREN), hosted a webinar, "Using eDNA for wind energy and wildlife studies", on 17 October 2024 from 10:00am-11:00am EDT (2:00pm-3:00pm UTC). During the webinar, researchers from France and the United States presented their research on the feasibility of using environmental DNA, or eDNA, to detect marine wildlife.

Speakers:

OES-Environmental hosted a public webinar, "The State of the Science on Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy" on 2 October 2024.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Enabling Coexistence Options for Wind Energy and Wildlife (ECO Wind) project is hosting a multi-part webinar series, “Perspectives on Wind-Wildlife Constraints to Buildout”, which will feature experts from diverse fields related to, but outside of, the wind-wildlife domain. Over the three-part series, experts will address three major constraints to wind energy buildout: siting, operations, and technology.

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) effort, led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with support from the U.S.

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) effort, led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with support from the U.S.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Enabling Coexistence Options for Wind Energy and Wildlife (ECO Wind) project is pleased to announce a multi-part webinar series, “Perspectives on Wind-Wildlife Constraints to Buildout”, which will feature experts from diverse fields related to, but outside of, the wind-wildlife domain. Over the three-part series, experts will address three major constraints to wind energy buildout: siting, operations, and technology.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) hosted an informational Marine Energy Career Panel on February 7, 2024. The panel featured National Laboratory staff from PNNL, NREL, and Sandia National Laboratories working to advance the marine energy industry.

The International Energy Agency Wind Task 34, Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy (WREN), hosted a webinar, "Wind Energy and Terrestrial Mammals", on 5 February 2024 from 11:00am-12:00pm EST (4:00-5:00pm UTC). During the webinar, presenters from Brazil, Portugal, and the United States discussed how jaguars and pumas, wolves, and pronghorn antelope interact with wind energy facilities.

La Agencia Internacional de Energía en su Tarea 34 de Energía Eólica (WREN, por sus siglas en Inglés)  organizará su 23º seminario web y su primer seminario web en español, “Energía eólica y vida silvestre: perspectivas desde América Latina”, el 10 de enero de 2024 de 11:00am-12:00 pm PST (7:00pm-8:00 pm UTC). El seminario web contará con ponentes de Argentina, Chile y México.

Vea el folleto en español aquí. 

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE) team recently launched a new and improved version of Telesto, which is home to open-source wiki pages, structured databases, and tools that provide information about the development life cycle of marine energy.

In some cases, alternatives to traditional compensation measures may provide significant conservation value. Examples include conservation actions that occur outside the region of the potential impact and funding research as a means of compensation. This webinar will explore outside-the-box ideas, examples of successful compensation alternatives, and situations in which innovative conservation actions may be necessary. Expert stakeholders will discuss the tradeoffs of implementing alternative compensation measures and when these may or may not be appropriate.

Grouse are considered an umbrella species because of their close connection to the surrounding habitat. The prairies and sage-brush where grouse reside are disappearing as a result of many stressors, including invasive species, climate change, and human development. Thus, any new disturbance or loss of habitat can significantly impact the species. Proper siting of wind energy facilities can avoid potential impacts to the species or their habitat, but it is likely that compensation measures will be needed to ensure there is no net loss.

The Tethys team has partnered with IEA Wind’s WREN Initiative to collect information, or metadata, on the environmental effects of offshore wind energy projects on marine animals, habitats, and ecosystem processes. By making this information available, Tethys and WREN aim to enhance transparency around environmental monitoring efforts to progress the global state of knowledge and advance the industry in an environmentally responsible manner.

This webinar will introduce two of the more common methods for instituting compensatory mitigation: mitigation banks and in lieu fee programs. Speakers will provide backgrounds on how each of these mechanisms work and provide case studies under which these programs have been used to conserve wildlife affected by wind energy development.

Moderator: Cris Hein, NREL

Speakers: 

OES-Environmental provided updates on progress to date and what's to come in the 2024 State of the Science report. OES-Environmental talked about the important role of coordinating and disseminating research on environmental effects of MRE and practical applications of OES-Environmental resources. Joe Haxel from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's (PNNL) Triton initiative and Doug Gillespie from the University of St. Andrew's Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) joined OES-Environmental to discuss their efforts to expand our understanding by highlighting examples from their research around two key stressor-receptor interactions - underwater noise and collision risk.

The initial webinar will focus on the regulatory mechanisms that determine requirements for compensation. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA) both require compensatory mitigation for individual species if adverse impacts occur at wind energy facilities. Experts will present U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state-specific policies and regulations, including recent policy updates for compensatory mitigation under the ESA, that influence the implementation of compensation measures.

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) project is hosting a free, public webinar series to share the latest research on the potential environmental effects of offshore wind energy development, including minimization and monitoring strategies. Each webinar will feature brief presentations from experts, a panel discussion, and an audience Q&A period.

The Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE) hosted a public webinar on 23 August 2023 from 10:00-11:00am MDT (4:00-5:00pm UTC).

Using a novel approach called environmental DNA (eDNA), aquatic species can be identified in water samples from the genetic material contained in discarded tissue (e.g., fish scales, mucus). This approach provides a non-invasive, cost effective, and reliable method for monitoring the presence and distribution of fish in water bodies. Current fish monitoring approaches are often challenging (e.g., cost, safety) to implement in the high energy environments targeted for tidal energy development and eDNA can provide a reliable alternative.

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) project is hosting a free, public webinar series to share the latest research on the potential environmental effects of offshore wind energy development, including minimization and monitoring strategies. Each webinar will feature brief presentations from experts, a panel discussion, and an audience Q&A period.

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) project is hosting a free, public webinar series to share the latest research on the potential environmental effects of offshore wind energy development, including minimization and monitoring strategies. Each webinar will feature brief presentations from experts, a panel discussion, and an audience Q&A period.

To accelerate the roll-out of renewables, the EU aims to significantly shorten renewable energy permitting processes, in some cases to one year. To hit that one-year mark, guidance and information must be readily available. These will help regulators to set up appropriate requirements for applicants and developers to provide quality applications.

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research (SEER) project is hosting a free, public webinar series to share the latest research on the potential environmental effects of offshore wind energy development, including minimization and monitoring strategies. Each webinar will feature brief presentations from experts, a panel discussion, and an audience Q&A period.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Task 34, Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy (WREN), hosted a webinar, Compensating the Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy on Birds, on 16 May 2023 from 11:00am-12:00pm EDT (3:00-4:00pm UTC). The webinar provided an overview of the mitigation hierarchy, and discuss compensation measures from the United Kingdom and the United States. 

Speakers:

Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy (WREN) is hosting a webinar, Influence of Offshore Wind Turbines on Marine Habitats and Ecosystems, on 3 May from 10:00-11:00am EDT (2:00-3:00pm UTC). The webinar will discuss the state of the science on the impacts of offshore wind turbines on the marine environment, and how researchers monitor and minimize these impacts.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) hosted an informational Marine Energy Career Panel featuring National Laboratory staff working to advance the marine energy industry on April 10, 2023. The webinar was aimed at current students and those interested in working in the marine energy industry.

Speaker Pam Loring is a Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Birds and works on a range of projects related to the conservation and management of shorebirds and seabirds with a focus on offshore wind energy. She received a PhD in Environmental Conservation from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a MS in Biological and Environmental Sciences from the University of Rhode Island.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute are hosting a Technology and Innovation in Wind Energy and Wildlife webinar series to explore the evolution of turbine technology. The third webinar, "Wind Wildlife Research Meeting Technology & Innovation Discussions Continued ", will take place from 2:00-3:00pm EST (7:00-8:00pm UTC) on 16 February 2023.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute are hosting a Technology and Innovation in Wind Energy and Wildlife webinar series to explore the evolution of turbine technology. The third webinar, "Technology Acceptance Workshop Results: Acceptance", will take place from 1:00-2:00pm EST (6:00-7:00pm UTC) on 9 February 2023.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute are hosting a Technology and Innovation in Wind Energy and Wildlife webinar series to explore the evolution of turbine technology. The second webinar, "Technology Acceptance Workshop Results: From the Bench to the Field", will take place from 3:00-4:00pm EST (8:00-9:00pm UTC) on 31 January 2023.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute are hosting a Technology and Innovation in Wind Energy and Wildlife webinar series to explore the evolution of turbine technology. The first webinar, "The Future of Wind Energy Technology and Wildlife Considerations", will take place from 3:00-4:00pm EST (8:00-9:00pm UTC) on 26 January 2023.

OES-Environmental hosted a webinar on 19 January 2023, from 3:30 – 5:00pm UTC (7:30 – 9:00am PST) to share tools for designing and siting marine renewable energy (MRE; wave, tide, ocean current, salinity and temperature gradient) projects with environmental effects in mind. This webinar highlighted OES-Environmental's Management Measures Tool, AZTI's Wave Energy Converter - Environmental Risk Assessment (WEC-ERA) Tool, and the Marine Energy Environmental Toolkit for Permitting and Licensing developed by Kearns & West.