Physical processes such as tides, waves, and ocean currents shape the marine ecosystem through the mixing of water masses and exchange of dissolved gases and nutrients, providing support for marine organisms and habitats. Marine renewable energy (MRE) devices that harness energy from tides, waves, and ocean currents may affect these oceanographic systems. Potential changes include altered water flow patterns around devices, changes in circulation, decreased wave heights, and energy removal from the system, both in the nearfield (close to the device) and farfield (at the scale of a water body). These potential changes can affect organisms and habitats through secondary effects such as sediment transport, water quality changes, nutrient availability, and effects on coastlines either by erosion or coastal protection. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), another form of MRE, also has the potential to affect oceanographic systems. OTEC uses the temperature differential between warm tropical surface water and cold deep ocean water to create energy; this process returns large volumes of cold water to the surface, which can cause temperature shock to organisms and potentially destabilize the localized water column.
Short Science Summary 2024: Changes in Oceanographic Systems
This short science summary for Changes in Oceanographic Systems was developed based on the OES-Environmental 2024 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World, specifically Chapter 3: Marine Renewable Energy: Stressor-Receptor Interactions.
The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.
| Title | Author | Date Sort ascending | Content Type | Technology | Stressor | Receptor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dual-use wave energy converter arrays: Experimental insights into nearshore processes and coastal erosion | Cohen, N., Flocard, F., Cui, L., Sergiienko, N., Leontini, J., Turner, I. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment, Sediment Transport | |
| Coastal response to wave energy converter arrays: A semi-analytical model for control of nearshore currents and beach morphology | Cui, L., Sergiienko, N., Cohen, N., Leontini, J., Cazzolato, B., Flocard, F., Manasseh, R. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment, Sediment Transport | |
| Misplaced fears? What the evidence reveals of the ecological effects of tidal power generation | Ascher, S., Gray, I., Collins, C. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow, Collision, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals | |
| Minimizing environmental risks to progress the marine renewable energy industry | Garavelli, L., Rose, D., Freeman, M., Hemery, L., Farr, H., Copping, A. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy | Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | ||
| Environmental effects of marine renewable energy off-grid and micro-grid applications: a use case approach to assess existing knowledge and remaining uncertainties | Hemery, L., Weicht, L., Copping, A., Garavelli, L. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave | Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts | |
| Environmental Risks and Impacts of Offshore Energy: A Literature Review | Pontinha, D., Bispo, L., Gervásio, H., Aktuglu, Y. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind | Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning | |
| Offshore wave energy converter array poses threat to coasts causing significant rip currents | Cao, X., Shi, J., Zheng, J., Zhang, C., Pan, J. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow, Habitat Change | Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment | |
| Sea Space Analysis for Wave and Tidal Energy | Lee, S., Strong, V., Anning, D., Buecker, N., Flanary, C., Chang, G., Escajeda, E. , Kramer, S., Mullany, D. | Report | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave | Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts | |
| The contribution of the SafeWAVE EU project to the future development of ocean energy | Bald, J., Galparsoro, I., Mandiola, G., de Santiago, I., Menchaca, I., Uyarra, M., Pouso, S., Uriarte, A., Muxika, I., Sobradillo, B., Vinagre, P., Machado, I., Clementino, L., Chainho, P., Correia, J., Soulard, T., Le Bourhis, E., Felis, I., Garcia, A., Verling, E., O'Hagan, A., Dunphy, N., Smith, A., Iglesias, G., Lennon, B., Torre-Enciso, Y., Zubiate, L., Chambel, J., Cardoso, S., Santos, H., Geerinckx, Q., Troussard, C., Tanguy, F., Longeroche, J., Magaldi, P. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind | Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise | ||
| Stressor-Specific Guidance Document: Oceanographic Systems | OES-Environmental | Report | Marine Energy | Changes in Flow | ||
| Sustainability Assessment of an Oscillating Water Column During the Design, Installation, Operation, and Disassembly Phases | Gallego-Ramírez, C., López-Mosquera, J., Chica, E., Rubio-Clemente, A. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wave | Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike | Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Navigation, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts | |
| Outlook on the development of eco-friendly offshore renewable energy technologies | Sun, P., Jiang, Z., Chen, Y., Song, X., Pang, Y., Cai, B., Xu, X., Li, Y. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind | Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning | |
| Autonomous sensor suite for evaluating fish-turbine interactions and environmental impacts in marine renewable energy and hydropower | Salalila, A., Lu, J., Martinez, J., Hou, H., Deng, Z. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow, Collision | Fish | |
| Evaluation of the Hydrodynamic Impacts of Tidal Turbine Arrays in Jiaozhou Bay | Zhang, C., Yang, X., Jiang, Y., Zhao, W., Yu, J. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment, Sediment Transport | |
| SafeWave Deliverable 3.4 Synthesis of Knowledge Acquired and Gap Analysis | Garcia, J., Felis, I., de Santiago, I., Imperadore, A., Leitão, J., Vinagre, P., Bald, J. | Report | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow, EMF, Noise | ||
| Wave and Tidal Energy: Evaluation of Feasibility, Costs, and Benefits Senate Bill 605 Report | Lee, S., Strong, V., Aspen Environmental Group | Report | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave | Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data | |
| 2024 State of the Science Report - Chapter 3: Marine Renewable Energy: Stressor-Receptor Interactions | Garavelli, L., Hemery, L., Rose, D., Farr, H., Whiting, J., Copping, A. | Report | Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave | Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles | |
| OES-Environmental 2024 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World | OES-Environmental | Report | Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave | Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Recreation & Tourism, Stakeholder Engagement | |
| Recent Advances in Assessing Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Around the World | Copping, A., Martinez, L., Hemery, L., Hutchison, I., Jones, K., Kaplan, M. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Ocean Current, OTEC, Riverine, Salinity Gradient, Tidal, Wave | Attraction, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment | |
| In situ wake measurement behind a 25-kW freewheeling vertical axis hydrokinetic turbine in energetic riverine environment using acoustic Doppler current profiler and acoustic Doppler velocimeter | Dharamsi, A. | Thesis | Marine Energy, Riverine | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment | |
| Predicted ecological consequences of wave energy extraction and climate-related changes in wave exposure on rocky shore communities | Want, A., Waldman, S., Burrows, T., Side, J., Venugopal, V., Bell, M. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow | Invertebrates | |
| Local and regional interactions between tidal stream turbines and coastal environment | Li, X., Li, M., Wolf, J., Williams, A., Badoe, C., Masters, I. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow, Habitat Change | Physical Environment, Sediment Transport | |
| Integrated survey methodologies provide process-driven framework for marine renewable energy environmental impact assessment | Chapman, J., Williamson, B., Couto, A., Zampollo, A., Davies, I., Scott, B. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow | Birds, Fish | |
| Impact of Wave Energy Converters and Port Layout on Coastal Dynamics: Case Study of Astara Port | Moradi, M., Ilinca, A. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment, Sediment Transport | |
| Environmental impacts from large-scale offshore renewable-energy deployment | Ouro, P., Fernandez, R., Armstrong, A., Brooks, B., Burton, R., Folkard, A., Ilić, S., Parkes, B., Schultz, D., Stallard, T., Watson, F. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind | Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise | Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport | |
| Field observations of the wake from a full-scale tidal turbine array | Guerra, M., Hay, A. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment | |
| Localized Tidal Energy Extraction in Puget Sound Can Adjust Estuary Reflection and Friction, Modifying Barotropic Tides System-Wide | Spicer, P., MacCready, P., Yang, Z. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment | |
| Wake characteristics behind a tidal turbine with surface waves in turbulent flow analyzed with large-eddy simulation | Ouro, P., Mullings, H., Christou, A., Draycott, S., Stallard, T. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow | ||
| Wave Energy Economic and Environmental Aspects Strengths (S), Weakness (W), Opportunity (O), and Threats (T) | AlMallahi, M., Delvana, H., Haj Assad, M., Kumar, L., Elgendi, M. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise | Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Social & Economic Data | |
| The power of wave energy converters arrays to mitigate coastal erosion | Berrio, Y., Rivillas-Ospina, G., Arango-Manrique, A., Garces, S., Ochoa, I., Baró, L. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment, Sediment Transport | |
| Assessment of ocean energy systems as a source of energy for a proposed aquaculture ecosystem in Guam | Peralta, F. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, OTEC, Wave | Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Habitat Change | Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning, Social & Economic Data | |
| Improving Understanding of Environmental Effects from Single MRE Devices to Arrays | Hasselman, D., Hemery, L., Copping, A., Fulton, E., Fox, J., Gill, A., Polagye, B. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave | Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise | ||
| Balancing power production and coastal protection: A bi-objective analysis of Wave Energy Converters | Battisti, B., Giorgi, G., Fernández, G. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment, Human Dimensions | |
| Effects of small marine energy deployments on oceanographic systems | Whiting, J., Garavelli, L., Farr, H., Copping, A. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment | |
| Waterbodies thermal energy based systems interactions with marine environment — A review | Bordbar, A., Georgoulas, K., Dai, Y., Michele, S., Roberts, F., Carter, N., Lee, Y. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, OTEC | Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Habitat Change | Human Dimensions | |
| Modeling Morphodynamic Impacts and Optimization of Marine Hydrokinetic Arrays in Shallow Offshore Environments | Moghadam, H., Ortiz, A. | Journal Article | Marine Energy | Changes in Flow, Habitat Change | Physical Environment, Sediment Transport | |
| Tidal energy extraction modifies tidal asymmetry and transport in a shallow, well-mixed estuary | Spicer, P., Yang, Z., Wang, T., Deb, M. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow, Habitat Change | Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality | |
| A Computational Platform to assess the Coastal Impact of the Marine Energy Farms | Rusu, E., Onea, F. | Conference Paper | Marine Energy, Wave | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment | |
| The bigger picture: developing a low-cost graphical user interface to process drone imagery of tidal stream environments | Slingsby, J., Scott, B., Kregting, L., McIlvenny, J., Wilson, J., Yanez, M., Williamson, B. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, Tidal | Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement | Birds, Seabirds | |
| Deep-sea impacts of climate interventions | Levin, L., Alfaro-Lucas, J., Colaco, A., Cordes, E., Craik, N., Danovaro, R., Hoving, H-J., Ingels, J., Mestre, N., Seabrook, S., Thurber, A., Vivian, C., Yasuhara, M. | Journal Article | Marine Energy, OTEC | Changes in Flow | Physical Environment, Water Quality |