ORE Catapult report calls for regional assessments for offshore wind

UK innovation centrе the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult today released a report that outlines a new approach to environmental monitoring and consenting for the offshore wind sector with the aim of speeding up deployment.

The report advocates for adopting a Regional Ecosystem Monitoring Programme (REMP) to assess the environmental impacts of offshore wind projects at a regional level, moving away from the current approach of project by project evaluation. Its recommendations include appointing an independent body to oversee and facilitate the process; removing the "scoping phase" from the pre-application stage of environmental consenting; adopting an ecosystem-based approach to monitoring; and using innovative monitoring technology, like robotics and artificial intelligence for multiscale, concurrent analysis.

“With such ambitious targets for offshore wind deployment, it is time to evolve how we monitor and assess the environmental effects of potential offshore wind projects,” said Dr Caroline Whalley, environmental specialist for ORE Catapult and author of the report.

“Moving to a regional ecosystem-based monitoring programme (REMP) is a game changer for industry, government, academics and stakeholders. Climate change is barrelling down on us, driving a need for the extremely rapid acceleration of offshore renewable energy,” added Professor Beth Scott, an expert on marine ecology from the University of Aberdeen.

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