Abstract
Marine renewable energy (MRE) harnesses energy from the ocean and provides a low-carbon sustainable energy source for national grids and remote uses. The international MRE industry is in the early stages of development, focused largely on tidal and riverine turbines, and wave energy converters (WECs), to harness energy from tides, rivers, and waves, respectively. Although MRE supports climate change mitigation, there are concerns that MRE devices and systems could affect portions of the marine and river environments. The greatest concern for tidal and river turbines is the potential for animals to be injured or killed by collision with rotating blades. Other risks associated with MRE device operation include the potential for turbines and WECs to cause disruption from underwater noise emissions, generation of electromagnetic fields, changes in benthic and pelagic habitats, changes in oceanographic processes, and entanglement of large marine animals. The accumulated knowledge of interactions of MRE devices with animals and habitats to date is summarized here, along with a discussion of preferred management methods for encouraging MRE development in an environmentally responsible manner. As there are few devices in the water, understanding is gained largely from examining one to three MRE devices. This information indicates that there will be no significant effects on marine animals and habitats due to underwater noise from MRE devices or emissions of electromagnetic fields from cables, nor changes in benthic and pelagic habitats, or oceanographic systems. Ongoing research to understand potential collision risk of animals with turbine blades still shows significant uncertainty. There has been no significant field research undertaken on entanglement of large animals with mooring lines and cables associated with MRE devices.
Highlights
The global decarbonization and reduced demand for fossil fuels is strongly linked to the diversification of national energy portfolios around the world directed at reducing the consequences of climate change [1,2]
Modeling analyses suggest that the likelihood of “serious injury” from collision risk to marine animals varies by species and the amount of space the turbine takes up in a passage [26,27], and indicate that predictions of risks are extremely sensitive to behavioral assumptions, such as avoidance or fine-scale evasive responses [24,25,26,27,28]
Much of the information that is presently available has been gleaned from research studies or preliminary monitoring results concerning small numbers of turbines or wave energy converters (WECs), generally one to three devices
Summary
The global decarbonization and reduced demand for fossil fuels is strongly linked to the diversification of national energy portfolios around the world directed at reducing the consequences of climate change [1,2]. Marine renewable energy (MRE) is an emerging industry that has the potential to play an important role in climate change mitigation by providing a clean and renewable source of energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and redirecting the energy industry towards achieving a sustainable future [3]. The acceleration of MRE research and development around the world stems from interest in developing secure locally derived energy sources that have the potential to combat the effects of climate change, such as ocean acidification and increasing ocean temperatures [4]. Climate change effects will erode the beneficial human uses we derive from the harvest and aquaculture of seafood organisms, as well as degrade coastal habitats that provide erosion and storm protection [6]. As progress is made mitigating climate change, the potential benefits of MRE can add significant value. An overall increase in the understanding of MRE development is needed to catalyze innovation and commercialization, as well as overcome industry challenges including cost, engineering complexities, reliability, lengthy permitting timelines, and environmental concerns [7,8]
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