26 Nov 2024

Backed by a £7.3 million investment through the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme (OWEC), the Crown Estate is partnering with a range of expert bodies across the UK to launch five new projects that they say will accelerate the nation’s path towards a net-zero and energy-secure future, whilst enabling marine and coastal ecosystems to […]

12 Nov 2024

One of the major challenges facing the offshore renewable energy industry is how to deliver the speed and extent of the dramatic increase in offshore wind deployment needed to meet the UK’s Net Zero targets. A new report by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult lays out a new approach to environmental monitoring and consenting […]

12 Nov 2024

The Crown Estate has pledged to give £150,000 to support the Severn Estuary Commission’s work to explore the potential for sustainable energy from the Severn Estuary. The Severn Estuary has the highest tidal range in Europe and has been estimated to have the potential provide up to 7% of the UK’s total energy needs, but […]

07 Oct 2024

Plans for giant floating wind farms in Scotland threaten to destroy the country’s fishing sector, the leader of an industry body has warned. The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) said despite efforts to find a solution to the problem, mobile fishing and floating offshore wind farms “are simply not able to co-exist”. Speaking at the SFF’s […]

01 Oct 2024

The Sustainability Joint Industry programme has developed the Offshore Wind Industry Product Carbon Footprinting (PCF) Guidance. Previously no industry guidance on calculating a full carbon footprint for an offshore wind farm has existed. This has left the industry open to interpreting existing standards, which are not entirely applicable for offshore wind and consequently comparing carbon […]

01 Oct 2024

BlueWise Marine’s study on nature-positive design identified 13 effective solutions ready for use in offshore wind projects in Ireland. However, clear standards, effective monitoring, and detailed guidance for developers are needed. A recent report, ‘Options for Biodiversity-friendly Designs and Approaches for Offshore Wind Farms in Ireland’, identified 13 nature-based solutions (NBS) with high potential for […]

24 Sep 2024

The Menter Môn-led Marine Characterisation Research Project (MCRP) recently announced that Natural Resources Wales successfully discharged its Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (EMMP). Developed in collaboration with environmental stakeholders and an advisory group, the EMMP is a critical component of the marine licence granted to the Morlais tidal energy project. It ensures the safety of […]

17 Sep 2024

A €19.6 million partnership project, which aims to be the stepping stone towards large scale wave energy commercialisation, has received formal go-ahead from the European Union. WEDUSEA is a pioneering collaboration between 14 partners, spanning industry and academia from across the UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Spain. It is co-ordinated by the Irish company OceanEnergy. […]