Description
Oceanflow's E35 device was installed on its pre-laid moorings at Sanda Sound on the 7th August 2014. The Sanda Sound test site was chosen for its combination of strong tidal flow and harsh wave climate in order to fully validate the operability and survivability of the Evopod™ low motion hull form. The unit was monitored from Oceanflow's shore station near Southend, South Kintyre.
Location
Pennyseorach, Southend, Argyll & Bute, Glasgow, Scotland.
Licensing Information
All licensing for Marine Renewables in Scotland is coordinated and administered by Marine Scotland, a department of the Scottish Government. The seabed on which a marine renewables installation is located is leased through The Crown Estate.
Project Progress
Oceanflow completed two years of surveys, consultations, and environmental monitoring activities resulting in a licence from Marine Scotland to deploy the E35 test device at the Sanda Sound site which was awarded in August 2012. A seabed lease was signed with The Crown Estate in January 2013 to secure the site for the exclusive use of Oceanflow until 2020. Energy from the device will be transmitted ashore via a seabed cable which will be connected to the grid. The grid extension down to the foreshore to connect with our device was commissioned from SSE and completed in 2012.
In March 2017 Ocean Flow Energy decided to cease its tidal testing programme at Sanda Sound due to a lack of research funding. The reason behind the decision lies in difficulties to secure the research funding to continue the testing at Sanda Sound, according to Graeme Mackie, Ocean Flow Energy’s Managing Director. Ocean Flow Energy has received the approval for its decommissioning program at Sanda Sound site from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The move follows the removal of the E35 turbine in 2015, and the liquidation of its Scottish project company Oceanflow Development in December 2016.
Key Environmental Issues
The location of Sanda Sound places it in the peripheral vicinity of two European protected sites, Rathlin Island SPA and Ailsa Craig SPA. Sanda Sound is an important stretch of water for seabird feeding.
- Potential collisions between turbine blades and diving birds, marine mammals.
- Effect of seabed cable on migratory species and other electro-sensitive species.
Papers, Reports, Research Studies
Baseline Assessment: Ocean Flow Energy - Sanda Sound
| Receptor | Study Description | Design and Methods | Results | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Environment | Benthic survey. | Analysis of seabed substrate. | Primarily bare rock, with pebbles, stones, rocks, and occasionally large rocks/boulders. The seabed is general flat with a very shallow gradient. | Completed |
| Human Dimensions, Navigation | Navigational risk assessment. | A navigational risk assessment (NRA) was carried out by Oceanflow, utilising two data sources to ascertain both vessel transit and fishing activity in the sound: (i) vantage point survey, (ii) historical AIS. | Traffic in the Sound was very low both in summer and winter, especially through the inshore region in which Evopod will be located. Fishing activity was extremely low, with only a single vessel identified using the Sound to deploy lobster pots. | Completed |
Post-Installation Monitoring: Ocean Flow Energy - Sanda Sound
| Stressor | Receptor | Study Description | Design and Methods | Results | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat Change | Physical Environment, Sediment Transport | Once decommissioning is complete, a survey will be undertaken to confirm that the seabed has been cleared of all deposited material. | The seabed survey will be carried out by a third party ROV operator, and the obtained footage will be analysed by a contracted specialist. | Planned |