Marine Energy

The generation of renewable energy from tides, waves, currents, salinity, and temperature gradients in the oceans, seas, and rivers.

Marine renewable energy (MRE), also known as ocean energy or marine and hydrokinetic energy (MHK), refers to the various ways to generate electricity from the world’s oceans, seas, and rivers. Movement of water occurs naturally in these bodies of water in the form of waves, tides, and currents. Although many are in early stages of research and development, there is a wide variety of MRE technologies capable of generating electricity from the movement of water, as well as from differences in water temperature and salinity.

The relevant technologies can be classified into the following categories:

The environmental concerns associated with MRE technologies vary substantially based on the technology type, device design, and location. The primary environmental concerns typically encompass animal collisions with dynamic devices, impacts from underwater noise, and concerns about changes to the physical environment.

Please note: Tethys classifies offshore wind energy separately from MRE.

Photo: Simec Atlantis

Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Tethys is a knowledge hub that contains documents on the environmental effects of wind and marine energy. The table below contains all of the documents in the Tethys Knowledge Base associated with Marine Energy.

Total: 3511

Searches title and abstract.
Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Addressing Place-Based Environmental Questions to Enable Marine Energy Deployments Hemery, L., Copping, A., Jones, K. Presentation Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Entanglement, Habitat Change Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
OES-Environmental & Tethys: Helping the Marine Energy Community Understand Environmental Effects Garavelli, L., Farr, H., Freeman, M. Presentation Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
Co-evolution of Underwater Noise Measurements and Wave Energy Converter Design Polagye, B., Bassett, C., Mackey, L. Presentation Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Linkages between environmental, social, and economic effects of marine renewable energy McGrath, J., Freeman, M., Rose, D. Presentation Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
A Responsive Research Agenda to Inform Community Decision Making in Wave Energy Trueworthy, A. Presentation Marine Energy, Wave Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Sea Turtles and Marine Energy: Linking Shell Mechanics to Impact Lezcano, I., Wyneken, J., Porter, M. Presentation Marine Energy, Ocean Current, Tidal Collision Reptiles, Sea Turtles
Evaluation of Rehabilitated Sea Turtle Space-Use to Inform Marine Energy Planning Ganter, J., Dubbs, L. Presentation Marine Energy Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
An Environmental Risk Register: Identifying & Documenting Environmental Concerns During Marine Energy Device Design & Development Haxel, J., Freeman, M., Farr, H Presentation Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Scottish seabird conservation action plan: vulnerability report Scottish Government Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Seabirds
Techno-Economic and Policy Analysis of Ocean Current Energy for Hydrogen Storage and Grid Resiliency in Florida Zarif, M., Tang, Y., VanZwieten, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Ocean Current Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Social & Economic Data
Tethys Marine Renewable Energy Fact Sheet Tethys Summary Marine Energy
Building a Diverse Marine Energy Workforce Pipeline Cardinal, A., Stratton, B., Daw, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
Best Management Practices for Risk Retirement OES-Environmental Guidance Marine Energy
A UK Science Requirements Framework for Future Marine Research Infrastructure Hill, K., Moore, M., Rogers, A.D. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Sea Space Analysis for Wave and Tidal Energy Lee, S., Strong, V., Anning, 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
Evaluating the Transferability of Marine Mammal Data Between Tidal Stream Energy Developments (2025) Phillips, E., Wren, S., San Martin, E. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Marine Mammals
Evaluation of macro and meiobenthic community structure and distribution in the hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion discharge area of Port Dickson Leng, Q., Mohamat-Yusuff, F., Mohamed, K.N. Journal Article Marine Energy, OTEC Habitat Change Invertebrates, Physical Environment, Water Quality
Marine Renewable Energy and Its Role in Sustainable Blue Economy Gulbinskas, S. Book Chapter Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Stakeholder Engagement
Identifying convergences and divergences of social and technical considerations for the development of marine energy policy Wade, E., D'Anna, L. Journal Article Marine Energy Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Recreation & Tourism, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
A marine energy and ecosystem service framework for coastal communities Buenau, K., Sather, N., Arkema, K. Journal Article Marine Energy Human Dimensions
Drivers, barriers and policy options to renewable energy development in Native American communities: A systematic review Nsude, C., Connelly, S., Demir, F. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
Environmental impact evaluation of an oscillating water column Rubio-Clemente, A., Gallego-Ramírez, C., Chica, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Habitat Change, Noise Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
ITSASDRONE, an autonomous marine surface drone for fish monitoring around wave energy devices Uriarte, A., Boyra, G., Ferarios, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Attraction Fish, Human Dimensions
Measuring Marine Electromagnetic Fields: Systems and Applications D'eu, J., Colin, F., Maisonneuve, C. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF, Noise
Working Group on Marine Benthal and Renewable Energy Developments (WGMBRED; outputs from 2024 meeting)) Vanaverbeke, J., Coolen, J., Chiarandon, A. Report Marine Energy, Wind Energy EMF, Noise Fish, Demersal Fish, Invertebrates, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Making Waves in the Regenerative & Sustainable Ocean Economy: Transformative Ocean Investment Opportunities Builders Vision, Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), Katapult Ocean Report Marine Energy, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions
The Ocean Opportunity: A Solutions' Guide for the Blue Economy Solar Impulse Foundation Report Marine Energy, Wave Human Dimensions
The contribution of the SafeWAVE EU project to the future development of ocean energy Bald, J., Galparsoro, I., Mandiola, G. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise
Assessing the availability and feasibility of renewable energy on the Great Barrier Reef-Australia Virah-Sawmy, D., Sturmberg, B., Harrison, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions
Exploring Salinity Gradient Power in Sweden: Key Factors, Machine Learning Predictive Modeling, and Life Cycle Assessment Mohammadi, Y., Mannan, M., Fazeli, S. Journal Article Marine Energy, Salinity Gradient Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment
Renewable Energy in the Marine Environment: An Environmental Imperative, Awareness, and Action Towards a Greener Maritime Sector Hai, P., Nguyet, D. Journal Article Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Human Dimensions
Immediate and short-term effects of pile-driving on Hector’s dolphin in Lyttelton Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand Clement, D., Pavanato, H., Lenky, C. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wind Energy Noise Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Ocean Energy Perspectives on Progress: Leadership Reflections Across IEA-OES Projects Ocean Energy Systems (OES) Report Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave Human Dimensions
Life Cycle Assessment of an Oscillating Water Column-Type Wave Energy Converter Singhapurage, H., Koliyabandara, P., Samarakoon, G. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Human Dimensions, Life Cycle Assessment
Approaches to attributing underwater noise to a wave energy converter Polagye, B., Hunt, A., Mackey, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Wave Noise
Wind, Solar and Tidal Stream: Unleashing the Full Value of Welsh Renewables RenewableUK, Marine Energy Wales, Solar Energy UK Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Tidal Industry Seal Project: Managing the Consenting Risk of Harbour Seal Collision in the Scottish Tidal Energy Industry Edwards, E., Davies, I., Gerich, G. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Avoidance, Collision Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
An assessment of ocean thermal energy conversion resources and climate change mitigation potential Nickoloff, A., Olim, S., Eby, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, OTEC Human Dimensions
Environmental impacts from the widespread implementation of ocean thermal energy conversion Nickoloff, A., Olim, S., Eby, M. Journal Article Marine Energy, OTEC Physical Environment, Water Quality, Human Dimensions
Effects and management implications of emerging marine renewable energy technologies Copping, A., Wood, D., Rumes, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, OTEC, Salinity Gradient Chemicals, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Displaying 41 - 80 of 3511 results