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Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the marine energy industry has experienced an increasing level of interest and activity across a range of technology-readiness levels, from blue skies research to the commercialization of marine energy conversion technologies; from the development of new concepts to sea tests of devices, and in some cases even array deployments. Sustainability is delighted to announce a Special Issue on “Renewable Energy from the Sea”, aiming to capture the latest advances in marine energy research and development, which will accelerate the uptake of new technologies and the expansion of the industry on a global scale.

The issue covers, but is not limited to, the following topics:

ocean waves, tides, salinity, ocean temperature differences
wave and tidal resource modelling, characterization and assessment
design and assessment of novel wave and tidal energy converter components and systems;
offshore wind power
offshore hydrogen production from wave energy
system and component reliability
hybrid wave, tidal and offshore wind arrays;
Environmental impact, LCA, socio-economic benefits of marine energy;
control and power system integration of wave and tidal arrays;
operational and logistics aspects of marine energy conversion systems;
policy, regulatory and commercial practices.

Prof. Dr. Vincenzo Franzitta
Dr. Domenico Curto
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Wave Energy
Tidal Energy
Offshore Wind Energy
Energy Conversion
Resource Assessment
Multi-platform Concepts
Arrays of Energy Converters
Numerical Modelling
Laboratory Modeling
Environmental Impact
Economic Assessments
Cost of Energy
LCA

Published Papers (1 paper)

Research

12 pages, 1615 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Relative Fish Density Around a Deployed Tidal Turbine during on-Water Activities

by Garrett Staines, Gayle Zydlewski and Haley Viehman

Sustainability 2019, 11(22), 6262; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226262 - 08 Nov 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2615

Abstract

Global interest in mitigating climate change effects is a driver for the development of renewable energy sources. In-stream tidal power, a type of marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy uses tidal currents to generate electricity and is one example of developing a renewable energy industry. Effects and impacts on fishes in areas of tidal power development are a consideration, and presently there are many unanswered questions in this field of research. Knowledge of how fish use these areas before and after device installation is essential to informing regulators for decision-making. We attempted a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) study design to compare an index of fish density near and away from an MHK tidal energy device deployed in Cobscook Bay, Maine. The index was mean volume backscattering strength (S_v) obtained from 24-hour stationary, down-looking hydroacoustic surveys. Data were collected several times per year at an “impact” site within 50–75 m of a device and at a “control” site approximately 1.6 km away, both before and after turbine installation in August 2012. Fish density was lowest in March surveys and highest in May surveys at both sites. One of four comparisons (August 2011/before vs. 2012/after) indicated an interaction of fish density with turbine installation. Operational status of the installed turbine and on-water activity disturbances (e.g., industry vessel and diving activities) varied at the impact site and possibly influenced results. Lower fish densities were observed during installation and maintenance periods than during normal device operation. The effects of construction activities must be separated from the effects of a deployed device to effectively implement a statistically rigorous assessment that could separate the effects of these different activities. This parsimonious approach and results were used for permit licensing by federal and state regulatory bodies at this site and others and can be used to consider regulatory adjustments during different phases of device operation and maintenance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy from the Sea)

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