ORJIP report: Wave and Tidal Stream Critical Evidence Needs

The ORJIP Ocean Energy’s new report ‘Wave and Tidal Stream Critical Evidence Needs’ outlines environmental research priorities that will de-risk and facilitate consenting of ocean energy projects.

The report complements the Forward Look report from 2017 taking into account the increased knowledge on environmental impacts and consenting challenges, changes in marine energy planning and consenting policies, and feedback from stakeholders.

Addressing these priorities will further increase the knowledge on environmental impacts and support well-informed and evidence-based decision-making.

The research priorities are organised into ten strategic topics:

1. Methods and instruments to measure mobile species occupancy and behaviour in high energy environments and around marine energy devices.
2. Near-field interactions between mobile species and tidal stream turbines.
3. Occupancy patterns, fine-scale distribution and behaviour of mobile species in wave and tidal stream habitats.
4. Far-field responses of mobile species to wave and tidal stream devices and arrays.
5. Subsea acoustic profiles of wave and tidal stream sites and technologies.
6. Tools for assessing and managing risk to mobile species populations for large-scale wave and tidal stream development.
7. Tools for assessing effects of large-scale wave and tidal stream developments on physical processes.
8. Tools for assessing social and economic impacts of wave and tidal stream developments.
9. Tools for assessing climate change impacts of wave and tidal stream developments.
10. Tools and guidance for managing risk and uncertainty during the preparation of project environmental monitoring plans.