Abstract
This Environmental Report presents the results of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of Offshore Wind and Marine Renewable Energy (wave and tidal) in Northern Ireland.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) has appointed AECOM and Metoc to undertake an SEA of the potential effects that the development of offshore wind and marine renewable energy (wave and tidal devices) would have on the coastline of Northern Ireland and territorial (12nm limit) marine environment. The results of the SEA, presented in this report, have been used by DETI to inform the development of its offshore wind and marine renewable energy Strategic Action Plan (SAP), which has been developed in parallel to this SEA.
The overall objective of the draft Plan is to optimise the contribution of offshore wind and marine renewable to Northern Ireland’s proposed 40% renewable electricity target by 2020, enhance diversity and security of supply and reduce carbon emissions.