Greening Blue Energy - BioTools For Business

1 Introduction
1.1 Background
Increasing energy demands, and recognition of the
effects of a changing climate resulting from fossil
fuel use, require a shift in the balance of energy
sources.
Offshore wind-power generation capacity is anticipated
to grow significantly as the world makes
unprecedented attempts to transition to a lower
carbon economy. The potential for renewable
energy to be sourced from the offshore wind environment
is only now being fully realised. Engineering
solutions now allow terrestrial concepts to be
reconsidered in a marine environment, an energy
territory previously considered the domain of offshore
oil and gas. However, any type of energy
production will exert some impact on the local and
global environment. In reducing the atmospheric
impacts from our energy sources, we must avoid
replacing one set of significant impacts with another.
Whilst acknowledging that research into the
impacts of the offshore renewable industry is still
in its infancy, it is widely regarded that the risk for
impacts on the marine environment may not be
negligible and must be taken seriously.
Wind farms may also be beneficial for the marine
Robin Rigg offshore wind farm, UK.
Photo: E.On Climate & Renewables
environment in several aspects, including trawling
exclusion and the creation of hard bottom habitats,
which could benefit both local fisheries and species
conservation. Often, however, the debate on environmental
impacts runs far ahead of the evidence
base. Science-based evidence should be used to
help guide marine impact avoidance and mitigation,
and where possible even enhance habitats to
ensure that this renewable energy source is also
tapped sustainably.. Still. As knowledge and experience
builds with further development, the understanding
of potential negative as well as positive
impacts will improve; in the interim, there is the
urgent need to fill knowledge gaps. This document
is one of a range of materials to help address this
situation.
1.2 Aim of the guidance document
IUCN has undertaken a joint project with the multinational
energy corporation E.ON and the Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency
(SIDA) to improve the environmental performance
of offshore renewable energy projects by developing
guidance to support best practice biodiversity
considerations. It is envidaged that the guidance
will also serve to inform the policy and practice
of the conservation community and governments.
This is especially relevant for developing countries
where capacity is lower but renewable energy infrastructure
is increasingly promoted.
The Greening Blue Energy project aims to facilitate
well-balanced and science-based discussions on
impacts on the marine environment from offshore
renewable energy developments.
The guidance provides a synthesis of the current
knowledge status on the potential impacts of offshore
wind energy on the marine environment for
project developers and offshore wind farm opera-
Identifying and managing biodiversity risks and opportunities of offshore renewable energy - GREENING BLUE ENERGY 1
Introduction