Applying Risk Science and Stakeholder Engagement to Overcome Environmental Barriers to Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy Projects
The production of electricity from the moving waters of the ocean has the potential to be a viable addition to the portfolio of renewable energy sources worldwide. The marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) industry faces many hurdles, including technology development, challenges of offshore deployments, and financing; however, the barrier most commonly identified by industry, regulators, and stakeholders is the uncertainty surrounding potential environmental effects of devices placed in the water and the permitting processes associated with real or potential impacts. Regulatory processes are not well positioned to judge the severity of harm due to turbines or wave generators. Risks from MHK devices to endangered or protected animals in coastal waters and rivers, as well as the habitats that support them, are poorly understood. This uncertainty raises concerns about catastrophic interactions between spinning turbine blades or slack mooring lines and marine mammals, birds and fish. In order to accelerate the deployment of tidal and wave devices, there is a need to sort through the extensive list of potential interactions that may cause harm to marine organisms and ecosystems, to set priorities for regulatory triggers, and to direct future research. Identifying the risk of MHK technology components on specific marine organisms and ecosystem components can separate perceived from real risk-relevant interactions. Scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are developing an Environmental Risk Evaluation System (ERES) to assess environmental effects associated with MHK technologies and projects through a systematic analytical process, with specific input from key stakeholder groups. The array of stakeholders interested in the development of MHK is broad, segmenting into those whose involvement is essential for the success of the MHK project, those that are influential, and those that are interested. PNNL and their partners have engaged these groups, gaining valuable information, gathering pertinent feedback on the efficacy of the process, and providing a level of ownership for the risk evaluation process that will encourage adoption of the outcome to inform future MHK siting and permitting decisions. The ERES development process provides the scientific structure to support risk characterization, comparison of tradeoffs, and risk-informed decision-making by project and technology developers, regulatory agencies, and other interested stakeholders. The PNNL team will determine the range and severity of environmental effects of MHK development, leading to the development of mitigation strategies where residual risk remains.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1015282
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-74526; EB4500000; TRN: US201111%%528
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Oceans 2010: MTS/IEEE Conference Proceedings, September 20-23, 2010, Seattle, WA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
POLICY AND ECONOMY
ANIMALS
BIRDS
COASTAL WATERS
DECISION MAKING
ECOSYSTEMS
ELECTRICITY
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EVALUATION
FEEDBACK
FINANCING
MAMMALS
MITIGATION
MOORINGS
OWNERSHIP
PRODUCTION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RIVERS
TURBINE BLADES
TURBINES
WATER
marine hydrokinetic
environmental risk evaluation
stakeholders