Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea ... - Naturvårdsverket

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SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information Status, threats and consequences Status Sustainability of use Level of threat Expected consequences Good Sustainable Low Limited There are no threats to the provision of wave energy, nor can the use of this in any way diminish its value (i.e. become unsustainable). Although wave power stations are still rare and mostly at an experimental or development stage, this energy sector is growing in Sweden and elsewhere. In Wales, for example, the construction of the world’s biggest wave energy plant has commenced. At Islandsberg in Skagerrak a plant is currently set up by researchers from Uppsala University for a full scale test to run from 2008 to 2014. (197). In close cooperation with researchers at the Division for Electricity, Department of Engineering Sciences, at Uppsala University, Seabased Industry AB is planning to build a pilot plant in Skagerrak. At the completion of this plant in 2010, it may include as many as 2000 generators (using approximately 2 km 2 ) with a maximal effect of 20 MW, thus producing 50 GW/year (198). Although the benefits of using energy from the sea as a resource of power are considerable, it is nonetheless easy to imagine how the large-scale distribution of such plants could impact the ecosystem through habitat alteration, possible sound pollution as well as other disturbances, particularly during construction. Meanwhile, new artificial underwater environments, like those presented by the wave plants, might in fact attract certain species (providing additional hard surfaces) while naturally offering local protection against fishing. Examples of knowledge gaps There is much to learn about wave energy and its potential. First, technological improvements are required. Efficiency has to be increased, as well as resistance to the detrimental effects of corrosion and severe weather conditions. Secondly, environmental consequences need to be extensively investigated, in the same way as environmental impacts of offshore wind farms are investigated. If wave energy is to become extensively exploited, areas have to be set aside for this purpose, based on sound knowledge about the distribution of benthic habitats. Finally, largescale wave power can only become a realistic alternative if gaining economic strength. 125
SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information Provisioning ecosystem services P7: Provision of space and waterways Definition Provision of space and waterways refers to the use of the sea surface as medium for transport (shipping), as site for energy provision (offshore wind parks) as well as for other types of construction (e.g. harbours, bridges, artificial islands). Within this service, the use of sea water for industrial purposes is included. Figure 16. Source Bernes 2005 (14) 126
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Ecosystem services provided by the
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Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea ... - Naturvårdsverket

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