There is a global need for low carbon energy, and marine renewable energy could make a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation of climate change, as well as providing a high-technology industry. Marine renewable energy includes offshore wind, wave, tidal range (lagoons and barrages), and tidal-stream energy, as well as technologies such as ocean thermal energy conversion, salinity gradients and desalination. Understanding the environment these marine renewable energy devices are likely to operate in is essential when designing efficient and resilient devices. Accurate characterisation of the resource is of clear importance, whilst interactions with the environment, and between other “blue economy” developments, is essential for the development of the industry and marine spatial plans. Indeed, synergies exist when considering the sustainable use of the ocean’s energy, such as multi-purpose platforms integrating marine renewable energy devices and aquaculture.
This session is designed to share information on new research techniques and methods to better understand the resource and the environment, including mapping tools, numerical modelling approaches, and observations. We welcome contributions that will further the development of the blue economy: for example, resource characterization, design considerations (e.g. extreme and fatigue loadings), and environmental impacts. The session will also include studies of impacts, from physical and biological, to societal interactions (e.g. effects to tourism). Research areas are envisaged to include but not restricted to: modelling and quantification of the interaction of the device to the marine environment (e.g. changes in hydrodynamics) as well as on the biology directly; cumulative impacts of large and multiple developments (potentially of differing technologies or marine stressors); new technologies for quantification; management of space; collision; noise.