The OES-Environmental 2024 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World summarises the state of the science of environmental effects of marine renewable energy (MRE) and serves as an update and a complement to the 2020 State of the Science Report.
While the research and monitoring findings prior to 2020 are summarized throughout, the main focus of the report is on the more recent work. The report was prepared by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (the OES-Environmental Operating Agent) and other participating nations under the International Energy Agency Ocean Energy Systems (OES) intergovernmental collaboration.
Potential Environment Effects
The 2024 State of the Science report mainly focuses on the potential environmental effects from the generation of power from waves using wave energy converters (WECs), tides using tidal turbines, and large rivers using riverine turbines, but also includes new findings from environmental effects of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plants. Lessons learned from other offshore industries are included, where appropriate.
The report authors brought together the most up-to-date information on potential environmental effects of MRE development, using information from public sources as well as new scientific research. The Ocean Energy Systems (OES)-Environmental country representatives from the 16 participating countries helped to scope the entirety of the report and provided valuable contributions to all chapters. The input from these contributors and reviewers has resulted in the most complete compendium of research and monitoring findings possible.
This report encompasses an introduction and path forward, as well as nine chapters that provide details of research and monitoring findings around the world on environmental effects of MRE.
Topics covered within the report include
- Marine renewable energy:stressor receptor interactions;
- Stakeholder engagement for marine renewable energy;
- Strategies to aid consenting processes for marine renewable energy;
- Education and outreach around environmental effects of marine renewable energy; and
- Path forward for marine renewable energy research
In addition to both the report and the executive summary, the work is complemented by “short Science Summaries” documents providing succinct breakdowns on certain relevant topics. For instance, “Strategies to Aid Consenting Processes” and “Underwater Noise”