Skip to main content

OES-Environmental distributes metadata forms (questionnaires) to solicit information from developers involved in environmental monitoring around marine renewable energy project sites around the world. This page provides project descriptions, baseline assessment, post-installation monitoring, and links to available data and reports. Content is updated on an annual basis.

GSK Montrose Tidal Array

Contents

MRE Project Site

Title: GSK Montrose Tidal Array
Status:
Canceled
Project Manager:
GSK
Tech Developer:
GSK
Info Last Updated:
Contact:
gsk@swanturbines.com
(login for email address)
Website:
External Link

Details

Device Name:
Cygnus Inshore Tidal Turbine
Technology:
Marine Energy, Tidal
Technology Subtype:
Bottom-Mounted
Support Structure:
Gravity Foundation, Gravity Anchor
Project Scale:
Array
Grid Connection:
Grid-Connected
Installed Capacity:
0.7 MW
Electrical Infrastructure:
Buried Seafloor Cables
Country:
United Kingdom
Physical Site:
Constricted Channel, Noisy Environment (>80 dB), Hard-Bottom Habitat
Channel Width:
0.16 km

Description

The proposal is to develop a tidal array in the River South Esk Estuary. The tidal stream array will be installed in 2 phases over a period of 14 months, eventually having a capacity of up to 0.7MW and will contribute to meeting the Scottish Government’s targets of providing 100% of Scotland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2020. 

The project comprises 15 tidal turbines with gravity foundations. These transmit electricity to the shore with armoured cables where they are connected to a shore station. The shore-station comprises control systems and power conditioning equipment including switch gear and a transformer. The power is then transmitted to the GSK Montrose site using a buried electrical cable. The offshore site is marked by navigational markers and appropriate warning signs.

The project license application was rejected and project was cancelled.

Location

River South Esk Estuary (proposed). 

Licensing Information

The project license application was rejected. 

Project Progress

Proposed in 2010, Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary published in March 2012, project rejected/cancelled in May 2013. 

Key Environmental Issues

Swanturbines Ltd did the EIA on behalf of GSK

Environmental statement: GSK Montrose Swan Turbines Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary

Papers, Reports, Research Studies

GSK Montrose Swan Turbines Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary

Environmental Monitoring: GSK Montrose Tidal Array

ID Phase Stressor & Receptor Design and Methods Results
2072570 Baseline Marine Mammals Marine mammal assessment
Information on marine mammals in the vicinity of the development has been collected though literature, data records, consultation and detailed visual survey at the proposed site over a period of 12 months. 		Completed
Harbour Seals and Grey Seals are regularly seen in the Montrose basin and have been observed at the proposed turbine site. Typically 15 to 20 seals are seen hauled out within the basin at low tide.

Key potential impacts on marine mammals from tidal turbines are considered to be injury to the animals owing to a collision with turbine blades, disturbance as a result of underwater noise and the presence of the turbines creating a barrier to movement in and out of the Montrose basin.
2072571 Baseline Fish Fish species composition and collision risk assessment
Desk studies to identify species of concern. Computational models have been developed to assess the potential effect of injury to a fish through an interaction with the rotor blades. 		Completed
Atlantic salmon, sea trout, European eel, river and sea lamprey, flatfish, elasmobranchs, freshwater pearl mussel, blue mussel and horse mussel were identified.

Although there is limited data available in support of a quantitative risk assessment, the ability of migratory fish to navigate fast flowing and complex geographical terrain to reach spawning grounds suggests that the slow moving turbines will not present a significant obstacle to migration. It is also considered that although slow moving, there is a possibility that fish will experience injury during an interaction with the turbine rotor.
2072572 Baseline Birds Bird assessment
Data has been collected by a desk based assessment of existing records, consultation with stakeholders and field survey work to allow an understanding of the movement and behaviour of bird species in the proposed deployment area. In terms of the potential effects of the turbines, the most sensitive species found at the site is the Eider duck. This is a diving bird of international importance. 		Completed
The main potential impacts are considered to be displacement of birds from their habitat, disturbance and collision with the rotor blades whilst diving. Disturbance is not considered to be significant but the potential for collision and displacement by changing tidal patterns within the basin are considered to be moderately significant.
2072573 Baseline Physical Environment Seabed assessment
Baseline assessment of seabed ecology at proposed site. 		Completed
The main potential impacts on the seabed are loss of habitat owing to the placement of the gravity foundations, smothering of seabed life from disturbed sediment, colonisation of the structures and pollution from routine and accidental discharges. There is also the potential to indirectly impact on other seabed and riverbed habitats located upstream and downstream of the array. The Montrose basin and South River Esk contain protected habitats and/or species with international and national protected status.
2072574 Baseline Physical Environment Bathymetry and tidal height and flow assessment
Studies have been undertaken to assess the tidal heights and flows, the bathymetry and
sedimentary processes at and around the site. This has included desk studies in which existing data and literature has been analysed, computational modelling of aspects of the site to gain a better understanding of flow patterns, and a series of physical surveys.
 Completed
The majority of impacts for coastal and sedimentary processes are considered to be insignificant and will be mitigated by the phased installation approach. Due to the high sensitivity of the potential impact of a variation to tidal heights in the basin, monitoring of tidal heights is proposed. Two tide gauges are proposed to be deployed; one within the Montrose basin and a reference gauge to the east of the turbine site. For the pre-installation monitoring period, measurements will be taken over a 6 month period in order to include a full (equinoxal) tidal cycle. Bathymetry or photography methods will be employed to relate tidal heights to available habitat areas and this data will be used to understand the sensitivity of the basin ecology to tidal levels.
2072575 Baseline Human Dimensions Cultural heritage assessment
An assessment of any cultural heritage assets within the study area has been completed using publicly available GIS data. The area of study is zone 1km buffer from all the physical aspects of the project such as the substation building and underground cable route. 		Completed
It is considered that no significant direct or indirect effects will occur at cultural heritage assets in the area, therefore no mitigation measures have been proposed. Best practice construction methods will be observed during the construction of the array and the associated ancillary structures.