Short Science Summary: Benefits and Effects

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Marine Renewable Energy: Benefits and Effects

Technologies that harvest energy from the movement of water in oceans and large rivers are under development around the world. Marine renewable energy (MRE) devices are designed to take advantage of tidal currents, fast flowing rivers, and waves, as well as ocean currents and natural gradients of temperature and salinity in ocean waters. The potential benefits that MRE can bring to nations and stakeholders are driving research studies, development of engineering systems, and experimental deployments of wave energy converters, as well as tidal and river turbines, in coastal areas. These studies, trials, and experiments are the leading edge of the development of an international MRE industry that is adding to the renewable energy portfolio of many nations. As this development occurs, it is essential that MRE projects not harm valuable and often fragile marine populations, habitats, and systems in the oceans. The responsible development of the MRE industry is informed by science-based understanding of the potential effects of MRE installations worldwide.

This Short Science Summary was developed based on the OES-Environmental 2020 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World, specifically Chapter 1: Marine Renewable Energy and Ocean Energy Systems and Chapter 2: Marine Renewable Energy: Environmental Effects and Monitoring Strategies. 

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 Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
A comprehensive review on scour and scour protections for complex bottom-fixed offshore and marine renewable energy foundations Chambel, J., Fazeres-Ferradosa, T., Miranda, F., Bento, A., Taveira-Pinto, F., Lomonaco, P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Physical Environment
Emerging energy sources' social acceptability: Evidence from marine-based energy projects Ponce Oliva, R., Estay, M., Barrientos, M., Estevez, R., Gelcich, S., Vásquez-Lavín, F. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Country-Specific Guidance Document: Mexico OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy
Country-Specific Guidance Document: Portugal OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy
Country-Specific Guidance Document: Australia OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy
Country-Specific Guidance Document: Ireland OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy
Protecting the Ocean and Supporting Rural Coastal Communities through Responsible Marine Renewable Energy Ocean Conservancy Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
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
2024 State of the Science Report - Chapter 10: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy in Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems Garavelli, L., Hemery, L., Farr, H., Apolonia, M., Haywood, Z., Paredes, A., Bender, A. Report Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave
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
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
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
Site Investigation and Risk Evaluation Using the Spatial Environmental Assessment Toolkit Langton, S., Roberts, J., Jones, C., Nelson, T., Chartrand, C., Olson, S. Conference Paper Marine Energy Human Dimensions
Dashboard for Marine Energy Site Assessment and Monitoring Flanary, C., Jones, C., Ellenson, A., Nelson, T. Conference Paper Marine Energy
Resource Modeling Assessment and Environmental Biological Analysis in Turnagain Arm, Cook Inlet, AK Lee, C., Yang, Z., Copping, A. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal
Research on the environmental benefits of marine tidal energy and its impact on regional economic structure Kuan, Zhang, J., Liu, T. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
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
Animal displacement from marine energy development: Mechanisms and consequences Hemery, L., Garavelli, L., Copping, A., Farr, H., Jones, K., Baker-Horne, N., Kregting, L., McGarry, L., Sparling, C., Verling, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Avoidance, Displacement
Numerical study of a fish swimming in hydrokinetic turbine wake Macias, M.M., Mendes, R.C.F., Garcia-Ortiz, J.H., Oliveira, T.F., Brasil Junior, A.C.P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish
Assessing the impact of marine renewable energy in Portugal: an analysis based on ACO-TCN-attention Song, H., Gao, J. Journal Article Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Social & Economic Data
IEA-OES Annual Report: An Overview of Ocean Energy Activities in 2023 Ocean Energy Systems (OES) Report Marine Energy
Task Force on Sustainable Tidal Energy Development in the Bay of Fundy: Final Report Fisheries and Oceans Canada Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish, Human Dimensions
Predicting the probability of encounter between fish species and tidal stream energy devices using acoustic telemetry Bangley, C., Hasselman, D., Culina, J., Flemming, J., Whoriskey, F., Stokesbury, M., Beland, J., Bradford, R., Sanderson, B. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish
Feasibility of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Development for U.S. Islands Copping, A., Farr, H. Conference Paper Marine Energy, OTEC Chemicals, Displacement, Entanglement, Habitat Change Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Obstacles in the Path to New Clean Technologies: An Examination of Challenges for In-stream Tidal Energy Development in Canada’s Bay of Fundy Chandler, C. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Human Dimensions
From Science to Consenting: Applying Environmental Effects Information to Support Regulatory Decision-Making Freeman, M., Copping, A., Rose, D. Presentation Marine Energy Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Tethys: Knowledge Hub on the Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy and Wind Energy Copping, A., Whiting, J., Farr, H., Garavelli, L., Freeman, M. Presentation Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Stakeholder Engagement
From Science to Consenting: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Freeman, M., Rose, D., Copping, A., Garavelli, L., Hemery, L. Conference Paper Marine Energy Human Dimensions
Investigating displacement of marine animals as a potential effect of marine renewable energy development Hemery, L., Garavelli, L., Copping, A., Farr, H., Jones, K. Conference Paper Marine Energy Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Fish, Marine Mammals
PAMEC 2024 Plenary Session: Regional Perspectives Cameron, B. Presentation Marine Energy
Probability of Atlantic salmon post-smolts encountering a tidal turbine installation in Minas Passage, Bay of Fundy Sanderson, B., Karsten, R., Hasselman, D. Presentation Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish, Pelagic Fish
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
Developing a Marine Energy Workforce Pipeline Cardinal, A., Daw, J., DeGeorge, E., Kanter, A., Mendlin, B., Stratton, B. Conference Paper Marine Energy Human Dimensions
Online courses on Offshore Renewable Energy Bluespring Presentation Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Update on Ocean Energy Systems-Environmental (OES-E) Copping, A., Garavelli, L., Hemery, L., Freeman, M., Rose, D., Farr, H., Whiting, J., Jones, K., Anderson, C., Oman, J., Kaplan, M. Presentation Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
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
International Data Sharing for Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE) Copping, A., Garavelli, L., Peplinski, W. Presentation Marine Energy Human Dimensions
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
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