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.

Nova Innovation - SEASTAR

Description

The 4 MW SEASTAR (Sustainable European Subsea Tidal Array) project will be deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) Fall of Warness Tidal Test Site. It will comprise an array of up to sixteen turbines, with a total generation capacity of 4 MW. Environmental monitoring will be carried out to understand the effects of a large turbine array. Nova used this carefully monitored approach at the world’s first tidal turbine array – the Shetland Tidal Array, Scotland. It has helped to demonstrate the reliability and performance of our turbines and build confidence in tidal energy.

The SEASTAR Project will be installed and commissioned in a single phase in 2027/27. The array will be operated at the Fall of Warness site until decommissioning which will take place in 2046.

Location

Fall of Warness, Eday, Orkney Island, Scotland, UK.

Licensing Information

Marine Licence from Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate Licensing Operations Team (MD-LOT). Implemented under EMEC’s site-wide licence for the Fall of Warness under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.
 

Project Progress

Turbines to be installed and commissioned 2027/28.

Key Environmental Issues

Collision risk and disturbance for marine mammals and diving birds. Potential impacts on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) are a particular concern due to the declining nature of the species population in the north Scotland region.

Papers, Reports, Research Studies

MD-LOT licensing information  available at: https://marine.gov.scot/?q=node/24769 

Environmental Monitoring: Nova Innovation - SEASTAR

Searches description, design & methods, results.
Phase Stressor & Receptor Design and Methods Results
Post-Installation Monitoring Noise

Marine Mammals 		Array noise measurements.
Drifting hydrophone measurements and modelling. 		Planned
NA
Post-Installation Monitoring Displacement

Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles 		Displacement monitoring.
Collision and multibeam sonar. 		Planned
NA
Post-Installation Monitoring Collision

Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles 		Turbine monitoring.
Cameras and multibeam sonar. 		Planned
NA