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 life cycle assessment comparison of materials for a tidal stream turbine blade Walker, S., Thies, P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment
Field Observations of Scour Behavior around an Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converter Lancaster, O., Cossu, R., Heatherington, C., Hunter, S., Baldock, T. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Wave-Energy Devices Might Affect the Natural Environment: Scientists plan research to better understand effects Oregon State University, Pacific Marine Energy Center (PMEC), Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC), University of Washington Magazine Article Marine Energy, Wave EMF, Entanglement, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Interactions between tidal stream turbine arrays and their hydrodynamic impact around Zhoushan Island, China Zhang, J., Zhang, C., Angeloudis, A., Kramer, S., He, R., Piggott, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow Physical Environment
An observational study of hydrodynamic impact on water mass transport due to tidal power generation Kim, J., Woo, S-B., Song, J., Kwon, H-K. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow Physical Environment
Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Influences from Ocean Current Energy Conversion Sites in the South–Southeastern Brazilian Inner Shelf de Paula Kirinus, E., Oleinik, P., Marques, W. Journal Article Marine Energy, Ocean Current Changes in Flow Physical Environment, Sediment Transport
Riding the wave: Challenges and opportunities for marine renewable energies in Canada’s energy transition Forrest, D., Li, X., Aviles, M., Pustova, M., Roberts, A. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind
Socioeconomic Impacts of Wave Energy Knowledge and Service Providers to Oregon Garrett, J., Thompson, P., Conway, F. Report Marine Energy, Wave Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
It Is a Balancing Act: The Interface of Scientific Evidence and Policy in Support of Effective Marine Environmental Management Lonsdale, J., Gill, A., Alliji, K., Birchenough, S., Blake, S., Buckley, H., Clarke, C., Clarke, S., Edmonds, N., Fonseca, L., Goodsir, F., Griffith, A., Judd, A., Mulholland, R., Perry, J., Randall, K., Wood, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Marine Renewable Energy and the Environment: A Coloring Book OES-Environmental Book Marine Energy
Triton Field Trials: Promoting Consistent Environmental Monitoring Methodologies for Marine Energy Sites Eaves, S., Staines, G., Harker-Klimes, G., Pinza, M., Geerlofs, S. Journal Article Marine Energy Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions
Use of Our Future Seas: Relevance of Spatial and Temporal Scale for Physical and Biological Indicators Trifonova, N., Scott, B., De Dominicis, M., Wolf, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment
The Potential of Wave Energy Conversion to Mitigate Coastal Erosion from Hurricanes Ozkan, C., Mayo, T., Passeri, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow Human Dimensions
Sector Locational Guidance: Enabling Evidence for Sustainable Development Tidal Stream Energy Welsh Government Report Marine Energy, Tidal Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
Sector Locational Guidance: Enabling Evidence for Sustainable Development Wave Energy Welsh Government Report Marine Energy, Wave Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
A Framework for Effective Science Communication and Outreach Strategies and Dissemination of Research Findings for Marine Energy Projects Gunn, C., Amerson, A., Adkisson, K., Haxel, J. Journal Article Marine Energy Human Dimensions
SafeWAVE Deliverable 4.4 Use cases and profiles Leitão, J., Cardoso, S., Santos, H. Report Marine Energy, Wave Noise Birds, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
What’s in My Toolkit? A Review of Technologies for Assessing Changes in Habitats Caused by Marine Energy Development Hemery, L., Mackereth, K., Tugade, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change
A Review of Modeling Approaches for Understanding and Monitoring the Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Buenau, K., Garavelli, L., Hemery, L., Garcia Medina, G. Journal Article Marine Energy, Ocean Current, Tidal, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise
Stressor-Specific Guidance Document: Oceanographic Systems OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy Changes in Flow
Stressor-Specific Guidance Document: Habitat Change OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy Habitat Change
Impact of innovation in renewable energy generation, transmission, or distribution-related technologies on carbon dioxide emission in the USA You, C., Khattak, S., Ahmad, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Human Dimensions, Climate Change
Global trends in aquatic animal tracking with acoustic telemetry Matley, J., Klinard, N., Martins, A., Aarestrup, K., Aspillaga, E., Cooke, S., Cowley, P., Heupel, M., Lowe, C., Lowerre-Barbieri, S., Mitamura, H., Moore, J., Simpfendorfer, C., Stokesbury, M., Taylor, M., Thorstad, E., Vandergoot, E., Fisk, A. Journal Article Marine Energy Human Dimensions
Marine Energy Wales State of the Sector 2022 Marine Energy Wales Report Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Marine Renewable Energy in the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: International Regulation and Legal Challenges Melnychenko, M. Thesis Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
The Impacts of Climate Change on Underwater Sound Propagation from Tidal Turbines Zimmerman, C. Thesis Marine Energy, Tidal Noise Human Dimensions, Climate Change
Multi-use platforms at sea: A sustainable solution for aquaculture and biodiversity Demmer, J., Lewis, M., Neill, S. Book Chapter Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Wave Energy Roadmap - Realising the Potential of Wave Energy in the next 10 to 15 years Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy Hub Report Marine Energy, Wave
Marine Energy in the Dutch North Sea White Paper: Potential benefits to the Dutch energy system Tocardo B.V. Guidance Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Predicting coastal impacts by wave farms: A comparison of wave-averaged and wave-resolving models David, D., Rijnsdorp, D., Hansen, J., Lowe, R., Buckley, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
The Interplay Between EU Law and Regional Sea Conventions: Shaping Environmental Protection in Relation to Offshore Energy Production Across Europe? Giannopoulos, N. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Environmental impacts of utilization of ageing fixed offshore platform for ocean thermal energy conversion Zulkifli, M., Husain, M., Zaki, N., Jaafar, A., Mukhlas, N., Mukhlas, S., Soom, E., Azman, N. Conference Paper Marine Energy, OTEC Attraction, Changes in Flow Fish, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Grid connection and system services of a wave power plant - a case study Vrana, T., Akerberg, J., Flynn, D., Torres-Olguin, R. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave
NREL Programs Channel Students Toward the Future Water Power Workforce National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
SafeWave Deliverable 5.2 Risk-Based Approaches and Adaptive Management Verling, E., O'Hagan, A. Report Marine Energy, Wave Human Dimensions
Country-Specific Guidance Document: China OES-Environmental Report Marine Energy
Biological Consequences of Marine Energy Development on Marine Animals Hemery, L., Copping, A., Overhus, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Seabirds, Pelagic Fish, Invertebrates, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
The Irish Sea bed load parting zone: Is it a mid-sea hydrodynamic phenomenon or a geological theoretical concept? Creane, S., O'Shea, M., Coughlan, M., Murphy, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) presence is reduced during tidal turbine operation Palmer, L., Gillespie, D., Macaulay, J., Sparling, C., Russell, D., Hastie, G. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Avoidance, Collision Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Quantifying the effects of tidal turbine array operations on the distribution of marine mammals: Implications for collision risk Onoufriou, J., Russell, D., Thompson, D., Moss, S., Hastie, G. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Avoidance, Collision Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
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