TY - RPRT
TI - Accelerating Offshore Wind: Developing a regional ecosystem monitoring programme for the UK offshore wind industry
AU - ORE Catapult
AB - One of the major challenges facing the offshore renewable energy industry is how to deliver the speed and extent of the dramatic increase in offshore wind deployment needed to meet the UK’s Net Zero targets.This report introduces an alternative monitoring approach for the offshore wind industry. There is a need to take advantage of innovative technologies to better understand the functioning of the UK marine ecosystems within which large-scale offshore wind deployment is situated. There needs to be a collaborative effort to enable a transformation in data gathering driven by a regional ecosystem-based monitoring programme (REMP) supported by new technologies that can be confidently incorporated into impact assessments and future monitoring plans. By implementing a regional monitoring programme, a more coherent and cohesive approach across multiple sites can deliver targeted monitoring that enables the cumulative effects to be more accurately assessed.A proposed framework for how a REMP might operate has been suggested, the role of innovative technology in enabling a monitoring programme at a regional scale and the importance of standardising and streamlining data management and environmental impact assessment (EIA) reporting. All have the potential to streamline the data gathering, analysis and decisionmaking process to accelerate consenting.We propose a number of ambitious suggestions that will support the aim of the government’s mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower:Streamline monitoring requirements by shifting from project-level assessments to regional-scale monitoring.Appoint a central, neutral facilitator of the REMP approach making use of existing strong links with government, industry, statutory consultees, academic institutes and SMEs. ORE Catapult is wellplaced to act in such a role. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NOMENCLATURERemove the scoping phase from the preapplication stage. Regional advisory groups would be established to engage on environmental and engineering concerns (in collaboration with key experts from academic institutes and statutory consultees).Adopt an ecosystem-based approach to monitoring driven by key indicators and monitoring priorities specific to each region.Adopt an iterative framework that allows questionsetting, study design, data collection, data analysis, and data interpretation to evolve and develop in response to new information or questions.Transition from current monitoring methods to make use of innovative technology capable of conducting multiscale and cross-disciplinary measurements, and incorporating AI.Develop a large-scale/high-resolution web portal containing EIA/monitoring data of all offshore wind farm and grid projects.Transition from current EIAs to digital EIAs.Datasets and model outputs generated by such tools should be open access to ensure that the information is genuinely useful and feeds into policy and management measures that promote sustainable development of the marine environment.
DA - 2024/11//
PY - 2024
UR - https://ore.catapult.org.uk/resource-hub/analysis-reports/accelerating-offshore-wind-developing-a-regional-ecosystem-monitoring-programme-for-the-uk-offshore-wind-industry
LA - English
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Fixed Offshore Wind
KW - Human Dimensions
KW - Legal & Policy
KW - Marine Spatial Planning
KW - Social & Economic Data
KW - Stakeholder Engagement
ER -