Topic 2. Developing Environmental Protocols and Monitoring to Support Ocean Renewable Energy and Stewardship
Characterization and Potential Impacts of Noise Producing Construction and Operation Activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
Lead PI: Dr. Chris Clark, Cornell University
The primary objective of this proposal is to design, implement and exercise with empirical field data a system to measure, characterize and evaluate the influences of construction and operation noises from Offshore Alternative Energy (OAE) activities on seasonally resident and migratory, acoustically active marine vertebrates. A secondary objective is to evaluate the influences of construction and operation noises from OAE activities on seasonally resident, but non-acoustic marine organisms.
Number of Years: 3
Requested Funds: $499,903
Partners:
- Marine Acoustics, Inc.
- ESS Group, Inc.
Protocols for Baseline Studies and Monitoring for Ocean Renewable Energy
Lead PI: Mr. Steven Kopf, Pacific Energy Ventures
The primary outcome of this project will be a Protocol Framework for identifying, collecting and comparing environmental data relevant to offshore renewable energy projects. The Protocol Framework will be developed and evaluated by leading scientists and stakeholders. The Protocol Framework will outline the criteria and thresholds for collecting data for both (1) baseline and (2) operational monitoring studies for wave, tidal, and offshore wind projects on the U.S. West Coast (California Current large marine ecosystem [LME]). This tool will be portable to other regions and LMEs, and developed for consistency with related European programs.
Number of Years: 2
Requested Funds: $499,705
Partners:
- Oregon State University
- Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center
- H.T. Harvey and Associates
- Science Applications International Corporation
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center
Roadmap: Technologies for Cost Effective, Spatial Resource Assessments for Offshore Renewable Energy
Lead PI: Dr. John Miller, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, Marine Renewable Energy Center
The project team proposes to develop a technology roadmap for the application of advanced spatial survey technologies to the assessment and post-development monitoring of offshore wind and hydrokinetic renewable energy resources and facilities. The emphasis will be on techniques
that provide spatial-temporal measurements. Although most of the evaluations will use models and existing data to analyze performance, several of the projects proposed here involve field tests intended to evaluate specific approaches.
Number of Years: 2
Requested Funds: $748,035
Partners:
- Imaging Science Research, Inc.
- Teledyne RD Instruments
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Evaluating Acoustic Technologies to Monitor Aquatic Organisms at Renewable Energy Sites
Lead PI: Dr. John Horne, University of Washington
Understanding the potential for aggregation, avoidance, or strike at a hydrokinetic energy site requires knowledge of species-specific distributions over relevant spatial and temporal scales. However, the configuration and integration of technologies capable of providing images and data for characterizing and monitoring sites is not well-established, and the application of monitoring technologies is complicated by extreme flows at marine hydrokinetic energy sites. The University of Washington and their partners will evaluate the ability of three classes of active acoustic technologies (echosounders, multibeam sonar, and acoustic camera) to characterize and monitor animal densities and distributions at a proposed hydrokinetic site. Instrument packages will be deployed in northern Admiralty Inlet, WA, the site of the District’s proposed tidal energy demonstration project.
Number of Years: 2
Requested Funds: $746,617
Partners:
- NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center
- Snohomish Public Utility District
- BioSonics
- Sound Metrics
Developing Environmental Protocols and Monitoring to Support Ocean Renewable Energy and Stewardship
Lead PI: Dr. Rebecca Smyth, University of Texas-Austin
The project will use (1) existing knowledge and experience with onshore carbon sequestration monitoring and risk assessment, (2) existing and proposed policy (both domestic and international), and 3) international collaboration with groups already conduction offshore carbon dioxide transport and sequestration to compile information needed to establish best management practices (BMP) for U.S. offshore geologic sequestration.
Number of Years: 3
Requested Funds: $497,020
Partners:
- Det Norske Veritas
- Mustang Engineering, Inc.
- Texas General Land Office
- Texas A&M University
Visual Impact Evaluation System for Offshore Renewable Energy
Lead PI: Dr. Jackson Cothren, University of Arkansas
The project will develop the Visual Impact Evaluation System for Offshore Renewable Energy. The proposed system will allow an MMS user to design the spatial layout and content of an offshore facility, import and prepare geospatial data that will affect visibility, run a series of sophisticated visual analyses, define atmospheric, lighting and wave conditions and, finally generate one or a series of realistic visualizations from multiple viewpoints. The system will also accept three-dimensional computer models of facilities submitted by project applicants or available from third parties, and will include pre-built models of many facilities. Output will be in the form of maps, tabular reports and high-quality rendered images. All of this will be accomplished within a familiar ArcGIS interface.
Number of Years: 3
Requested Funds: $497,268
Partners:
- Argonne National Lab
Bayesian Integration for Marine Spatial Planning and Renewable Energy Siting
Lead PI: Mr. Kevin Halsey, Parametrix
The integration of oceanographic, ecological, human use data, stakeholder input, and cumulative impacts for the evaluation of ocean renewable energy siting proposals can be greatly facilitated by the application of Bayesian methods. The project team has experience with two such methods that, when integrated, can support the needs of ocean renewable energy planning in the context of coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP) and beyond. The proposed system can make use of these two existing components, and much of the scientific and social data collected for the EFH and wave energy site process. It can also make use of existing output and query tools such as the PacOOS Habitat Portal developed by NOAA and Oregon State University.
Number of Years: 2
Requested Funds: $499,902
Partners:
- Oregon State University
- Aquaterra
- Robust Decisions, Inc.
- Nature Conservancy
Developing Environmental Protocols and Monitoring to Support Ocean Renewable Energy and Stewardship
Lead PI: Dr. Jennifer McCann, University of Rhode Island
This project will develop and test standardized protocols for baseline studies and monitoring for the collection and comparison of
scientifically valid and comparable data for specific offshore renewable energy issues that are developed in coordination with, and ultimately supported by, scientists, regulators, and industry; in addition the project will develop a conceptual framework and approach for cumulative environmental impact evaluation of offshore renewable energy development, as part of a larger framework for a site evaluation tool for decision makers. By deliberatively developing these tools as a cohesive suite of products, the team will provide agencies with a comprehensive, yet flexible and tested means of making efficient and balanced assessments regarding the impacts of a broad range of offshore renewable energy resources projects on marine and human ecosystems.
Number of Years: 2
Requested Funds: $745,000 (91.3% domestic, 8.7% foreign)
Partners:
- Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council
- Applied Science Associates Inc.
- Nature Serve
- Cranfield University
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- National Environmental Research Institute
- Deepwater Wind, Inc.
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture
