Tethys Stories
Tethys Stories are intended to feature information on news, events, research, and projects relevant to marine and wind energy development activities across the globe. Stories are contributed by a diversity of individuals working in the field, and are meant to highlight the big picture of 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 jonathan.whiting@pnnl.gov.
Posted By: Elise DeGeorge On: October 28, 2016 | 0 Comments
Wind energy developers face challenges to gain public acceptance and necessary permits because of potential impacts on wildlife, especially birds and bats. As a result, developers may be required to monitor projects for the presence and abundance of both diurnal and nocturnal species, collect data on bird or bat collisions with turbines, and implement mitigation strategies that reduce fatalities, despite the fact that parameters for risk have not been adequately defined. Many of the data gathering requirements are best met with technologies mounted on or near wind turbines that can remotely... Read More
Posted By: Andrea Copping On: October 14, 2016 | 0 Comments
Annex IV and ORJIP-Ocean Energy has signed an agreement that will enhance collaboration and data sharing to understand and reduce uncertainty about potential environmental effects of MRE development. Both organizations address issues that are challenging to the siting and permitting/consenting of wave and tidal projects.
Annex IV and ORJIP Ocean Energy plan to jointly develop and share strategic research needs and identify data gaps on environmental effects; to seek opportunities to convene expert groups and consultation processes to address environmental effects and reduce consenting/... Read More
Posted By: Andrea Copping On: August 29, 2016 | 0 Comments
As tidal energy development ramps up in Europe and North America, questions have been raised about the potential for turbine blades to strike marine mammals, fish, and other marine organisms. Less attention has been paid to potential threats to smaller planktonic organisms such as the larvae of fish, lobster, and the zooplankton that spend their lives floating in moving ocean water. A small group of experts came together recently to explore whether larvae and zooplankton might be at risk from tidal turbines.
Lobster and fish larvae are most commonly buoyant and distributed by tidal... Read More
Posted By: Matthew Preisser On: July 06, 2016 | 0 Comments
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 an encircling wall within a tidal bay or inlet. Key examples of tidal barrages include one developed at La Rance in Brittany (northern France) in 1966, or the placement of turbines in a causeway at... Read More
Posted By: Andrea Copping On: June 02, 2016 | 0 Comments
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 are attracted, could tidal and wave devices pose a threat to these fish or their prey?
H. T. Harvey & Associates addressed this question in a 2015 report in which they evaluated the potential... Read More
Posted By: Nikki Sather On: April 25, 2016 | 0 Comments
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 effects of MRE development, collaboratively identify ways to address potential effects that hamper siting and consenting/permitting of devices, and facilitate the establishment of the MRE industry.
... Read More
Posted By: Andrea Copping On: April 04, 2016 | 0 Comments
A new addition to the Tethys platform is live – WREN Hub – 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 and its collaborators is the need to better understand and resolve interactions between wildlife and wind turbines during installation and operational phases. WREN is led by the US and... Read More
Posted By: Nikki Sather On: February 23, 2016 | 0 Comments
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 potential environmental effects of MRE development, collaboratively identify ways to address potential effects that hamper siting and consenting/permitting of devices, and facilitate the establishment of... Read More
Posted By: Kate Williams On: October 29, 2015 | 0 Comments
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 understanding and minimizing effects of offshore development on wildlife.
The mid-Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf supports large populations of marine wildlife year round, including marine species that... Read More
Posted By: Luke Hanna On: October 05, 2015 | 0 Comments
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 scientists and engineers examining environmental effects of marine renewable energy devices. This strategy resulted in a EWTEC high of 25 papers in 6 dedicated environmental sessions, as well as 3... Read More
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