Management Measures Tool for Marine Energy

Accessing Management Measures that Support Deployment of Wave and Tidal Energy Devices

As the marine renewable energy (MRE) industry moves beyond deployment of individual wave and tidal energy devices towards arrays, certain risks of MRE devices on the marine environment are not well understood and have led to onerous monitoring requirements placed on device developers.

A workshop was held in May 2017 with researchers, regulators, and developers to create the basis for the tool shown below. In consultation with the research and regulatory communities, it was agreed that applying a set of robust management measures could act as safeguards for marine animals and habitats until available monitoring data allows for determining the level of risk from MRE devices. At that point, measures could be dialed back or removed, if warranted. More information on the workshop and input for the tool can be found here.

The Management Measures Tool for Marine Energy shows management (or mitigation) measures from past or current MRE projects as a reference to help manage potential risks from future projects and allow them to move forward in the face of uncertainty, or until a risk can be retired. Additional management measures are regularly added by the OES-Environmental team. In addition to the searchable tool below, the information can be downloaded here. The download file includes additional details not shown below, including comments from stakeholders on past experience, cost of management measures, and when a management measure is needed.

View the instructions document for more in-depth details and examples on how to use the Management Measure Tool for Marine Energy or watch the recording of the OES-Environmental Webinar: Planning Ahead to Address Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy for an overview of the tool.

*Information in advantages and challenges comes from a SEA Wave report, and may also include information from the listed project documents.

^{Last updated June 2024}

Displaying 301 - 339 of 339 management measures

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Technology	Project Phase	Stressor	Receptor	Management Measure	Advantages	Challenges	Project Documents
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Changes in sediment dynamics Sediment disturbance disrupting water clarity that results in smothering of fish spawning grounds.	Fish	Mitigation Best practice methodologies to reduce resuspension of sediment during cable burial or device foundation / mooring installation.	None identified	None identified	Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) 2011, Tidal Lagoon Power 2017, The Marine Institute 2016, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 2020, THETIS Energy 2009, Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS), Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon (SBTL), Galway Bay Test Site, PacWave South Test Site, Torr Head Project
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	EMF Impacts of electromagnetic fields from landfall cables on sensitive species.	Fish Demersal fish	Design feature Maximize length of any drilled boreholes.	None identified	None identified	MeyGen 2012, MeyGen Tidal Energy Project
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Marine Non-Native Species Potential for introduction of MNNS which can have an adverse impact on the native species at the site.	Fish	Mitigation, Compliance Adhere to appropriate measures when jettisoning ballast water.	Reduce/remove risk of transfer of non-native species.	None identified	Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) 2011, Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS)
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Displacement Potential displacement of essential activities due to the presence of devices and associated moorings/support structures.	Habitat	Design feature Array/ mooring configuration designed to avoid migratory routes or other important sites.	Minimizes risk of development creating displacement by avoiding migratory routes or other important sites	May be inconsistent with optimal layout of the development for exploitation of the energy source. Can be a costly measure when scaling up to larger arrays.	Aquamarine Power Ltd 2011, Davison and Mallows 2005, Fox 2019, Oyster 800 at EMEC, Strangford Lough - MCT (SeaGen)
Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Changes in water flow Modifications to prey distribution and abundance (to include for other receptors) resulting in changes to foraging behaviour.	Marine Mammals	Design feature Design structures to minimize effect on turbulence structure.	Minimizes change in turbulence structure and hence potential interaction.	Can present financial, logistical, or design challenges to technology developer to alter design of device/moorings.	Tidal Energy Ltd 2008, Aquamarine Power Ltd 2011, Davison and Mallows 2005, Fox 2019, Ramsey Sound, Oyster 800 at EMEC, Strangford Lough - MCT (SeaGen)
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Entanglement Potential for marine animals to become entangled in device mooring lines and cables.	Marine Mammals Cetaceans	Design feature Cable design with maximum bend radius.	Remove/reduce risk of entanglement.	Mooring design driven by technical and commercial consideration.	Foubister 2005, EMEC Fall of Warness Grid-Connected Tidal Test Site
Wave, Tidal	Installation	Barrier to movement Potential barrier to movement due to the physical presence of devices and associated moorings/support structures, cables and electrical equipment.	Reptiles	Design feature Array/mooring configuration designed to avoid migratory routes or other important sites.	Minimizes risk of development acting as a barrier to movement by avoiding migratory routes or other important sites.	May be inconsistent with optimal layout of the development for exploitation of the energy source. Can be a costly measure when scaling up to larger arrays.	Aquamarine Power Ltd 2011, Davison and Mallows 2005, Fox 2019, Oyster 800 at EMEC, Strangford Lough - MCT (SeaGen)
Wave, Tidal	Installation	Barrier to movement Potential barrier to movement due to the physical presence of devices and associated moorings/support structures, cables and electrical equipment.	Benthic	Design feature Site selection to avoid sensitive routes/areas.	Minimizes risk of development acting as a barrier to movement by avoiding migratory routes or other important sites.	None identified	Argyll Tidal Limited 2013, OpenHydro and SSE Renewables 2013, Fox 2019, Argyll Tidal Demonstrator Project
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	EMF Impacts of electromagnetic fields from landfall cables on sensitive species.	Benthic Benthic invertebrates	Design feature Lay cables in natural crevices.	None identified	None identified	MeyGen 2012, MeyGen Tidal Energy Project
Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Changes in water flow The potential wider or secondary effects on protected or sensitive sub-littoral seabed due to removal or alteration of energy flow arising from devices and moorings or support structures.	Birds	Design feature Design structures to minimize effect on turbulence structure.	Minimizes change in turbulence structure and hence potential interaction.	Can present financial, logistical, or design challenges to technology developer to alter design of device/moorings.	Aquamarine Power Ltd 2011, Davison and Mallows 2005, Tidal Energy Ltd 2008, Fox 2019, Oyster 800 at EMEC, Strangford Lough - MCT (SeaGen), Ramsey Sound
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Habitat Creation The introduction of infrastructure and artificial substrates will provide potential roosting habitat.	Birds Roosting birds	Monitoring Monitor use of device as a roosting platform.	Reduces scientific uncertainty around collision risk, displacement and other impacts Monitoring is relatively inexpensive to carry out	Data mortgage (concept of generating data more quickly than it can be analysed). Could be expensive to monitor.	DP Energy Ltd. 2013, Orbital Marine Power 2018, West Islay Tidal Project Energy Park, Orbital Marine Power O2 at EMEC
Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Changes in water flow Modifications to prey distribution and abundance (to include for other receptors) resulting in changes to foraging behavior.	Fish	Design feature Site selection.	Minimizes significance of interaction.	None identified	ScottishPower Renewables 2012, Fox 2019, Ness of Duncansby Tidal Array
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	EMF Impacts of electromagnetic fields from landfall cables on sensitive species.	Fish Demersal fish	Design feature Install cable protection/armor.	Higher levels of insulation reduces the level of EMF to surrounding water column and therefore any potential effects.	None identified	DP Energy Ltd. 2013, Foubister 2005, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 2020, West Islay Tidal Project Energy Park, EMEC Fall of Warness Grid-Connected Tidal Test Site, PacWave South Test Site
Wave, Tidal	Installation	Barrier to movement Potential barrier to movement due to the physical presence of devices and associated moorings/support structures, cables and electrical equipment.	Habitat	Design feature Array/mooring configuration designed to avoid migratory routes or other important sites	Minimizes risk of development acting as a barrier to movement by avoiding migratory routes or other important sites.	May be inconsistent with optimal layout of the development for exploitation of the energy source. Can be a costly measure when scaling up to larger arrays.	Aquamarine Power Ltd 2011, Davison and Mallows 2005, Fox 2019, Oyster 800 at EMEC, Strangford Lough - MCT (SeaGen)
Wave, Tidal	Installation	Habitat Loss Loss of intertidal habitat from trenching for cable landfall.	Habitat Intertidal ecology	Design feature Pre-construction cable route surveys to avoid sensitive habitats.	None identified	None identified	Orbital Marine Power 2014, OpenHydro and SSE Renewables 2013, ScottishPower Renewables 2012, Pelamis Wave Power P2 Demonstration at EMEC
Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Collision risk Potential for collision with turbine blades.	Marine Mammals	Mitigation Implement a 'soft start'/cut in speed management approach during cut-in at sensitive sites, i.e. those where the potential for collisions is high.	Soft start could reduce risk by allowing animals time to move away from the turbine. Cut in speed management could be used to reduce risk during periods of known higher activity in sensitive species. Low cost option, adopted for other activities (e.g., piling).	Unclear if this offers additional mitigation as many devices power up gradually anyway. Implementation of this measure could result in a loss of revenue for the developer.	Xodus Group 2019, EMEC Billia Croo Grid-Connected Wave Test Site
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Lighting Potential for lighting to adversely affect nocturnal and migratory species.	Marine Mammals	Design feature Consider type, color, and use of lighting during design and consultation with navigational stakeholders.	May reduce impacts on sensitive species if they are known to use or migrate near to the project site.	Navigational safety and interests need to be considered and make take precedence.	DP Energy Ltd. 2013, European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) 2014, Tidal Lagoon Power 2017, Fox 2019, West Islay Tidal Project Energy Park, EMEC Fall of Warness Grid-Connected Tidal Test Site, Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon (SBTL)
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Contamination Potential for accidental or unplanned events which could lead to contamination of the marine environment.	Reptiles	Mitigation Where rock placement is used, ensure clean rock is used.	Reduces/removes risk of contamination/pollution from materials	None identified
Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Changes in water flow The potential wider or secondary effects on protected or sensitive sub-littoral seabed due to removal or alteration of energy flow arising from devices and moorings or support structures.	Benthic	Design feature Design structures to minimize effect on turbulence structure.	Minimizes change in turbulence structure and hence potential interaction.	Can present financial/ logistical/ design challenges to technology developer to alter design of device/ moorings	Aquamarine Power Ltd 2011, Davison and Mallows 2005, Tidal Energy Ltd 2008, Fox 2019, Oyster 800 at EMEC, Strangford Lough - MCT (SeaGen), Ramsey Sound
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Decommissioning	Habitat Loss Direct loss of protected or sensitive sub-littoral seabed communities due to the presence of devices and associated moorings or support structures on the seabed.	Benthic Benthic invertebrates, demersal fish	Design feature Cable protection management measures to ensure that any rock placement that is required will be kept to a minimum to reduce seabed disturbance.	Could reduce effects on sensitive habitats.	Additional cost.	Foubister 2005, RSK Group 2012, Aquamarine Power Ltd 2011, EMEC Fall of Warness Grid-Connected Tidal Test Site, West Orkney South Wave Energy Site, Oyster 800 at EMEC, Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre (PTEC)
Wave, Tidal	Installation	Collision risk Potential barrier to movement due to the physical presence of devices and associated moorings/support structures, cables and electrical equipment.	Birds	Monitoring Array installation carried out in phases.	Allows close monitoring to observe any unexpected effects.	None identified	GlaxoSmithKlineMontrose 2012, GSK Montrose Tidal Array
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Vessel disturbance Potential for disturbance from project vessels.	Birds Birds on water	Mitigation Do not break up or 'flush' rafts of birds.	Reduces potential effects. Relatively low-cost measure.	Effectiveness of mitigation unclear. Pertinent to note that the measure is selectively applied to project vessels in context of other vessel operations.	European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) 2020, Magallanes Renovables 2020, Aquatera 2017, Orbital Marine Power 2018, EMEC Scapa Flow Scale Wave Test Site, Magallanes Renovables ATIR at EMEC, Tocardo InToTidal at EMEC, Orbital Marine Power O2 at EMEC
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Contamination Potential for accidental or unplanned events which could lead to contamination of the marine environment.	Fish	Mitigation Where rock placement is used, ensure clean rock is used.	Reduces/removes risk of contamination/pollution from materials	None identified
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Entrapment Potential risk of entrapment within device chambers and mooring arrays.	Fish	Mitigation Regular ROV/drop down camera surveys to establish occurrence of entrapment.	Early detection of entrapment.	Additional cost.	Foubister 2005, Orbital Marine Power 2010, McPherson 2015, Orbital Marine Power 2018, Fox 2019, EMEC Fall of Warness Grid-Connected Tidal Test Site, Orbital Marine Power SR250 at EMEC, Nova Innovation - Canada Tidal Array, Orbital Marine Power O2 at EMEC
Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Changes in water flow The potential wider or secondary effects on protected or sensitive sub-littoral seabed due to removal or alteration of energy flow arising from devices and moorings or support structures.	Habitat	Design feature Site selection.	Minimizes significance of interaction.	None identified	ScottishPower Renewables 2012, Fox 2019, Ness of Duncansby Tidal Array
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Decommissioning	Airborne noise The potential effects from airborne noise generated during installation/construction (excluding piling).	Marine Mammals	Mitigation Avoid/limit 'noisy works' within close proximity to sensitive sites (e.g., known seal haul outs and important cliff nesting sites) during sensitive periods, defining appropriate clearance distances where necessary.	Could reduce potential effects on sensitive species during sensitive periods.	Could increase project construction timescales (e.g., if continuous drilling time is restricted or specific periods need to be avoided).	Foubister 2005, SSE Renewables 2011, ScottishPower Renewables 2012, McGrath 2013, SAE Renewables 2011, Aquatera 2017, The Marine Institute 2016, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 2020, McGrath 2013, DP Energy Ltd. 2017, EMEC Fall of Warness Grid-Connected Tidal Test Site, Westray South Tidal Project, Atlantis Resources Corporation at EMEC, Tocardo InToTidal at EMEC, Galway Bay Test Site, PacWave South Test Site, Fair Head Tidal Array
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Contamination Potential for oil spill incident resulting from the influence of unfavorable weather conditions.	Marine Mammals	Mitigation Vessel activities to occur in suitable weather conditions.	Reduces the chance for oil spill to the environment.	None identified	MeyGen 2012, The Marine Institute 2016, ScottishPower Renewables 2012, MeyGen Tidal Energy Project, Galway Bay Test Site, Pelamis Wave Power P2 Demonstration at EMEC
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Vessel collision Potential for collision with project vessels.	Marine Mammals Cetaceans	Mitigation Adhere to minimum approach distances for vessels on approach.	Reduces potential effects and is a relatively low cost measure.	None identified	Aquamarine Power Ltd 2011, Xodus Group 2019, European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) 2020, Aquatera 2017, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 2020, Orbital Marine Power 2018, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) 2014, Oyster 800 at EMEC, EMEC Billia Croo Grid-Connected Wave Test Site, EMEC Scapa Flow Scale Wave Test Site, Tocardo InToTidal at EMEC, PacWave South Test Site, Orbital Marine Power O2 at EMEC, U.S. Navy Wave Energy Test Site (WETS)
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Entrapment Potential risk of entrapment within device chambers and mooring arrays.	Reptiles	Mitigation Release entrapped animal.	None identified	None identified
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Displacement Potential displacement of essential activities due to the presence of devices and associated moorings/support structures.	Benthic	Design feature Array/mooring configuration designed to avoid migratory routes or other important sites.	Minimizes risk of development creating displacement by avoiding migratory routes or other important sites.	May be inconsistent with optimal layout of the development for exploitation of the energy source. Can be a costly measure when scaling up to larger arrays.	Aquamarine Power Ltd 2011, Davison and Mallows 2005, Fox 2019, Oyster 800 at EMEC, Strangford Lough - MCT (SeaGen)
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Decommissioning	Airborne noise The potential effects from airborne noise generated during installation/construction (excluding piling).	Birds Seabirds	Mitigation Avoid/limit 'noisy works' within close proximity to sensitive sites (e.g., known seal haul outs and important cliff nesting sites) during sensitive periods, defining appropriate clearance distances where necessary.	Could reduce potential effects on sensitive species during sensitive periods.	Could increase project construction timescales (e.g., if continuous drilling time is restricted or specific periods need to be avoided) and may increase costs.	OpenHydro and SSE Renewables 2013, Aquatera Ltd 2011, Foubister 2005, Royal Haskoning and Sea Generation (Kyle Rhea) Ltd. 2013, SSE Renewables 2011, ScottishPower Renewables 2012, McGrath 2013, Orbital Marine Power 2014, The Marine Institute 2016, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 2020, THETIS Energy 2009, Wello Penguin at EMEC, EMEC Fall of Warness Grid-Connected Tidal Test Site, Kyle Rhea Tidal Stream Array Project, Westray South Tidal Project, Fair Head Tidal Array, Galway Bay Test Site, PacWave South Test Site, Torr Head Project
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Entanglement Potential for marine animals to become entangled in device mooring lines and cables.	Birds Diving birds	Design feature Maintain taut mooring lines.	Remove/reduce risk of entanglement. Regular inspections can provide operational insight into condition, and help track effects/interaction with marine animals.	Mooring design driven by technical and commercial consideration. Regular ROV/dive or drop-down camera inspections required.	Aquatera Ltd 2011, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 2020, Wello Penguin at EMEC, PacWave South Test Site
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Changes in sediment dynamics Reduced visibility impacting prey detection and obstruction avoidance.	Fish	Design feature Minimize the amount of structure on the seabed.	Minimizes the changes in sediment dynamics due to presence of structure on the seabed.	Can present financial, logistical, or design challenges to technology developer to alter design of device/moorings.	OpenHydro and SSE Renewables 2013, Fox 2019
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	EMF Impacts of electromagnetic fields from landfall cables on sensitive species.	Fish Demersal fish	Design feature Strategic use of rock placement/other cable protection.	None identified	None identified	Foubister 2005, Orbital Marine Power 2010, MeyGen 2012, ScottishPower Renewables 2010, DP Energy Ltd. 2013, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 2020, EMEC Fall of Warness Grid-Connected Tidal Test Site, Orbital Marine Power SR250 at EMEC, MeyGen Tidal Energy Project, Sound of Islay Demonstration Tidal Array, West Islay Tidal Project Energy Park, PacWave South Test Site
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Marine Non-Native Species Potential for introduction of MNNS which can have an adverse impact on the native species at the site.	Fish	Mitigation Source vessels locally.	Reduce/remove risk of transfer and settlement of non-native species.	None identified	McPherson 2015, Nova Innovation - Shetland Tidal Array, Mocean Wave Energy Converter: Blue Horizon
Wave	Operation & Maintenance	Dissipation of wave energy The potential wider or secondary effects (siltation changes or smothering) on protected or sensitive littoral habitat due to devices and associated moorings, support structures or landfall cables.	Habitat Benthic invertebrates	None identified Benthic and intertidal surveys focused on indicator species, species assemblage, community structure and ecosystem function.	None identified	None identified	European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) 2019, European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) 2011, The Marine Institute 2016, ScottishPower Renewables 2012, Xodus Group 2012, EMEC Billia Croo Grid-Connected Wave Test Site, EMEC Shapinsay Sound Scale Tidal Test Site, Galway Bay Test Site, Pelamis Wave Power P2 Demonstration at EMEC
Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Changes in water flow The potential wider or secondary effects on protected or sensitive sub-littoral seabed due to removal or alteration of energy flow arising from devices and moorings or support structures.	Marine Mammals	Monitoring Modelling to predict the interaction between changes in tidal flow, flux and turbulence structure and animals.	Reduces scientific uncertainty so appropriate management measures can be employed	Limited management measures available to minimize interaction despite modelling to fully predict interaction.
Wave, Tidal	Operation & Maintenance	Entanglement Potential for marine animals to become entangled in device mooring lines and cables.	Marine Mammals Cetaceans	Design feature, Monitoring Install tension sensors on mooring lines.	Informs of problem with mooring lines allowing rectification.	Additional cost and control system integration requirement. Load from entangled animal is likely to be smaller than the device loading on the moorings. Uncertainty of the efficacy of this measure.	Laminaria 2018, EMEC Billia Croo Grid-Connected Wave Test Site
Wave, Tidal	Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Decommissioning	Barrier to movement Potential barrier to movement due to the physical presence of devices and associated moorings/support structures, cables and electrical equipment.	Reptiles	Mitigation Adherence to vessel management plan.	Minimizes the potential interaction between animals and construction or maintenance vessels.	None identified	Xodus Group 2019, Fox 2019