Tethys Stories feature information on news, events, research, and projects relevant to wind and marine renewable energy development activities across the globe. Stories are contributed from individuals working in the field, and provide insight into advancing the energy industry in an environmentally responsible manner. If you are interested in providing content to be featured as a Tethys Story, please email tethys@pnnl.gov.
- The power of the tides can be harnessed either by placing turbines in the tidal stream or by taking advantage of the tidal range. The height difference between the high and low tides can be captured by the placement of a tidal barrage – effectively a dam like those used in rivers – across the mouth of an estuary or bay. Alternatively, the tidal range can be captured within a lagoon by building… Read More
- Most people who spend time around the marine environment know that many species of fish are attracted to structures and hard surfaces in the ocean. Imagine tropical fish flocking to coral reefs, salmon hiding out under piers, and fish attracted to navigation buoys. The question has been posed as to whether fish will be attracted to marine energy devices placed in the ocean as well. And if they… Read More
- The 2016 final report on environmental effects of marine renewable energy (MRE) around the world has been released by the Annex IV initiative. The 2016 State of the Science report was developed under the auspices of the 13 nations collaborating on Annex IV, an initiative under the Ocean Energy Systems. Led by the US, the 13 Annex IV nations came together to assess the potential environmental… Read More
- A new addition to the Tethys platform is live supporting the international collaborative project WREN. WREN (Working Together to Resolve ENvironmental Effects of Wind Energy) is an initiative under the International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Committee to address the environmental issues associated with the development of land-based and offshore wind energy projects. Of particular interest to WREN… Read More
- The Annex IV initiative, under the Ocean Energy Systems (OES) collaboration has released the 2016 State of the Science report on environmental effects of marine renewable energy development around the world. The draft report, released February 23, 2016 is available for public review and comment through March 18, 2016. Led by the US, thirteen OES countries have joined together to assess the… Read More
- Researchers are still learning about how offshore wind energy facilities affect marine ecosystems, but it is clear that the potential effects may vary during different development phases, and that species respond in a variety of ways. The scale of development is likely to be important in determining the significance of these effects, and physical and ecological context is essential for… Read More
- The 11th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference (EWTEC) was held in Nantes, France, September 6-11, 2015. As the premier academic conference in wave and tidal energy, EWTEC has primarily focused on technology engineering and modeling. Annex IV and Ocean Energy Systems (OES) partnered with the 11th EWTEC to expand upon the environmental focus of the conference, and increase participation by… Read More
- Bat fatalities at wind energy facilities are a growing concern, particularly since bats have low reproductive rates and populations are slow to recover from long-term, large-scale impacts. Although bat carcasses have been reported underneath wind turbines since the early 1970’s, it was nearly 30 years before turbine-related bat fatalities received much attention. Over the past decade, our… Read More
- The third annual Marine Energy Technology Symposium (METS) was held in Washington D.C., US April 27-29, 2015, in conjunction with the International Marine Renewable Energy Conference (IMREC) and the National Hydropower Association. IMREC and METS brought together scientific and engineering experts, technology developers, policy makers, and regulators from the US and beyond to focus on marine… Read More
- The European Commission’s competitive Horizon 2020 programme has awarded €1.4 million to fund the Risk-based Consenting of Offshore Renewable Energy (RiCORE) project. Comprised of a team of experts from Ireland, Spain, Portugal, France and Scotland, the eighteen month project will examine ways to accelerate and streamline the environmental requirements associated with consents for offshore wind,… Read More
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