Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/N01765X/1
VertIBase - Supporting evidence-based decision-making on marine vertebrate interactions with wave and tidal energy technologies
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Dr SR Jude, Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr D Thompson, University of St Andrews, Biology
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor B Wilson, Scottish Association For Marine Science, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor B Scott, University of Aberdeen, Inst of Biological and Environmental Sci
- Grant held at:
- Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment
- Science Area:
- Marine
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Natural Resource Management
- Science Topics:
- Animal behaviour
- Animal behaviour
- Energy - Marine & Hydropower
- Environmental Planning
- Abstract:
- Ambitious plans for the large-scale deployment of wave and tidal energy are underway to meet carbon reduction targets, with the deployment of 1.6GW of generation planned for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters (PFOW), and smaller deployments planned off the coast of Wales and Isle of Wight. In parallel, numerous wave and tidal energy technologies are under development by companies ranging from small embryonic SMEs to multinational engineering companies, whilst test sites, including the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) have been established, seabed leases awarded by the Crown Estate, and the deployment of the first, small scale, arrays of devices underway. Amongst this race to develop technology and sites, concerns regarding potential interactions between wave and tidal energy devices/developments and marine mammals, seabirds and fish have emerged. These have formed the basis for the NERC/Defra Understanding How Marine Renewable Device Operations Influences Fine Scale Habitat Use and Behaviour of Marine Vertebrates (RESPONSE) (NE/J004251/1; NE/J000884/1). The study has provided new multi-disciplinary perspectives of the issue, from field studies investigating potential interactions, to the risk management challenges it poses across the wave and tidal sector. The project will directly address the challenges associated with potential marine vertebrate interactions by translating the new emerging evidence and lessons learned from the RESPONSE, FLOWBEC and MREKEP risk and uncertainty study, to inform decision-making on this potentially significant risk to the development of the wave and tidal energy sector. Through direct engagement with a community of stakeholders, incorporating device and site developers, regulators, advisory bodies, NGOs and industry associations, the embedding of this evidence in site scoping, technology design, monitoring, mitigation and consenting processes will be a practical outcome of this work.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/N01765X/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Innovation
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Innovation Projects
This grant award has a total value of £99,063
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Investigators | DA - Estate Costs | DI - Staff | DI - T&S | DA - Other Directly Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2,024 | £31,925 | £17,334 | £8,362 | £24,306 | £14,575 | £536 |
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