Abstract
A collaborative virtual workshop series was hosted by the RWSC, the Marine Technology Society (MTS), and the Consensus Building Institute (CBI), in partnership with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), with support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and contributions from NOAA Fisheries, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and Turn Forward to identify models, technologies, and information from other sectors, research areas, and potential partners in support of whale conservation and responsible offshore wind development.
The objective of the series was to assess the state of the science regarding technologies, tools, and methods for monitoring baleen whales in full-visibility, low-, and no-light conditions specifically during sound-producing offshore wind construction activities. PNNL and NREL led the development of the technical workshop materials and outputs, with input from DOE, NOAA, and BOEM. RWSC, MTS, and CBI provided the forum, workshop facilitation, and developed workshop proceedings for each session that captured participant input and discussion.
The third and final session of the Collaborative Technology Workshop Series was held virtually on November 19, 2024. This report summarizes discussions and key takeaways from this final session. The objectives for this session were to:
- Review PNNL and NREL’s draft report “Evaluating Tools and Technologies for Monitoring Marine Mammals during Offshore Wind Construction Activities”.
- Understand the U.S. Department of Energy’s timeline for report finalization and release.
- Learn from NOAA and BOEM about their work related to technology evaluation and how this report supports their ongoing work in this area.
Materials from this session including an agenda and draft products produced by PNNL and NREL can be found here: http://bit.ly/3Ot5PEI
Below are the key takeaways from the workshop:
- PNNL and NREL are finalizing a report “Evaluating Tools and Technologies for Monitoring Marine Mammals during Offshore Wind Construction Activities” which includes a three-phased approach to inform the deployment of technologies that can detect, monitor, and avoid negative interactions between marine mammals and offshore wind turbine construction. The report identifies three performance metrics that can be used to assess the efficacy of different technologies: detection capability, detection distance, and variation in performance relative to environmental/biological conditions.
- Given the challenges of measuring technology performance and the lack of standardization among existing validation studies, a standardized framework is needed to evaluate monitoring technologies in the context of their intended application for offshore wind. PNNL and NREL developed an example assessment framework that includes field characterization of each individual sensor in relevant environmental conditions and model simulations to assess the overall ability of an array of sensors to detect whales.
- The National Labs’ report may serve as a useful tool for helping to standardize technology evaluations and provides a possible framework for consistent evaluation.
- Given the dependence on innovation to drive improvement in monitoring technologies, trade associations, forums like RWSC, and data-sharing agreements are essential to balance private innovation with industry-wide progress.
- Agencies strive to balance public transparency and the protection of proprietary business confidential information.
- BOEM is open to partnering with industry and leveraging their statutory authority to help address gaps in evaluation, particularly for emerging technologies like infrared camera systems.
- This is the last workshop session in the series. The National Labs’ report will be finalized and published in January 2025.