Multiple Uses for Offshore Space: Incorporating Wind Energy Development

Webinar #16 in WREN Environmental Webinar Series
April 5, 2019, 15:00 - 16:00 UTC (8:00 am PDT/11:00 am EDT/4:00 pm BST)

Summary
Offshore wind energy development has to compete for limited space with other interests (e.g., fisheries, other energy sectors, wildlife conservation). The webinar will discuss perspectives from both Europe, where wind energy development has existed since 1991, and North America, where development is relatively new, but with hopes of rapid expansion.

Presenters

Mary Boatman, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Planning for Offshore Wind on the United States Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf
This presentation will describe the planning process that was used to identify areas for wind energy development on the US Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf.  The process included engagement with Federal, state, and local governments, the public and the use of science to determine areas with minimal conflict.

Dr. Mary C. Boatman serves as the Environmental Studies Chief for the Office of Renewable Energy Programs within the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).  She has worked at BOEM at both the regional office in New Orleans and in the Headquarters office in Sterling, Virginia on both offshore oil and gas and renewable energy issues.  Her area of expertise is Chemical Oceanography, but she has worked in a multi-disciplinary capacity for many years through the Environmental Studies Program at BOEM.

Andronikos Kafas, Marine Scotland
Ocean Multi-Use – A new frontier for marine planning: Findings from the European project MUSES
The ever-increasing demands on ocean resources in all European Sea Basins and resulting pressure on the use of ocean space, are underlining issues of compatibility (or conflicts) between different maritime uses as well as between economic activities and environmental protection. As a result ocean space is a valuable asset deserving special attention in marine management and planning. Management should be systematic, coordinated, as well as account both for existing maritime uses and anticipate future needs. This means that co-uses, synergies and multiple spatial uses should be promoted as much as possible. Integrating different functions/ uses/ activities in time and space in the sea, in a complementary way, termed here as Multi-Use (MU), can offer multiple benefits. While there are good reasons for promoting MU, its realisation is rendered difficult by conceptual problems and the need to overcome sectoral demands, vested interests, and any other barriers associated with existing political institutions and practices. The goal of Multi-Use in European Seas (MUSES) project was to identify and highlight the real opportunities for MU in European Seas. The MUSES project has explored practical solutions on overcoming existing barriers and minimizing risks associated with MU development at a local level, through a range of case studies around Europe. MUSES case studies focused on the challenges arising from tensions between maritime activities demanding ocean space. Key findings suggest that combining compatible activities in the same marine space can serve to share and reduce costs, and generate further synergies between those activities. MUSES case study findings focusing on offshore energy will be presented, including the environmental, spatial, economic & societal benefits of MU, as well as practical solutions to overcome identified barriers.

Dr. Andronikos Kafas joined Marine Scotland Science in 2012 and currently leads the Offshore Renewable Energy & Environmental Advice (REEA) group. As the group leader, he is responsible for ensuring the delivery of REEA’s advisory functions on marine planning and licensing, as well as oversee the group’s research programme. His experience covers strategic marine research coordination, leadership of multi-national and multi-annual research projects, coordination of offshore surveys, oversight of advisory functions, financial and human resource management, senior representation to a range of domestic and international fora, and offshore energy commercial awareness demonstrated by regular liaison with most major offshore developers and marine consultancies in the UK.

A recording of the webinar is available here.