The programme will detect and prevent any adverse environmental impact to local marine life arising from SeaGen’s operation within Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. The monitoring includes an array of tried and tested methods as well as ground-breaking research using cutting edge technology.
SeaGen, designed and developed by British firm Marine Current Turbines, was installed in Strangford Lough in May of this year and commissioning work has been ongoing since then. Once the turbine reaches full power it will generate 1.2MW of electricity, supplying 100% sustainable green power to the equivalent of 1,000 homes.
Royal Haskoning’s team of marine biologists has been managing the environmental studies for SeaGen since 2004, undertaking the initial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as part of the consents process, collecting over three years of baseline environmental data, and coordinating the ongoing Environmental Action and Safety Management Plan (EASMP).
In collaboration with a number of independent scientific organisations, including Queen’s University Belfast and the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), the Royal Haskoning team is looking for potential impacts on the behaviour of marine mammals (seals, whales, dolphins), fish, ornithology, and seabed habits, as well as changes to shipping, navigation and socioeconomic changes. Members of the Royal Haskoning team will also spend time working from SeaGen itself to collect information about effects on marine mammals.
Henry Rowe, Board of Management director, Royal Haskoning commented: “Everything about the SeaGen scheme is groundbreaking. This is the first turbine of its kind and this is the first post-installation monitoring programme of its kind. Working closely with Marine Current Turbines, and our colleagues from Queens and SMRU, we are in a truly unique position able to view first hand the benefits of tidal energy sources.
Tidal stream energy could make a significant contribution to the UK’s energy diversity, and indeed worldwide, but we need to be sure that in our efforts to go green we aren’t damaging the very environment we are trying to preserve. The depth of data we have and are continuing to collate is helping to safeguard not only the immediate marine community, but the also future integrity of renewable energy sources worldwide.”
SeaGen is expected to become fully operational in the next few months once the current commissioning phase is complete.
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