Design for marine life and aquaculture

Currently, the design process of a turbine, an array and associated infrastructure does not take into account the potential to enhance marine life (biodiversity), contribute to fisheries sustainability or aquaculture production. This process may have conservation value and may provide nursery areas for commercially relevant fish and shellfish, but there is a need to undertake research to assess the potential value of this process. In the longer term, this could contribute to the sustainability of local fishing opportunities. The use of offshore renewable sites for aquaculture has been explored in principle and through some limited trials, but there are likely to be significant logistical, biological and economic challenges to successful, commercial deployment. There is opposition to renewables developments that are perceived or in reality compromise fishing activity. Developing clear and demonstrable pathways to achieving these objectives could potentially help to streamline consenting and licencing processes and perhaps more importantly secure social license. There are potentially significant cost savings in this process.

Type of Entry: Innovation Area

Requires implementation offshore: Yes

Start TRL: TRL 2

Target TRL: TRL 5

Enabler: Academia

Beneficiary: Owner Operators

Strategic Outcome: Enabling disruptive innovation

Forecast Start: 2022

Forecatest Finish: 2030

Potential to Reduce LCOE: Low

UK Benefit: Medium

Case for Intervention: Medium

HSE impact: High

LCOE Notes: This element wouldn’t drive LCOE down but could enable additional revenue generation. Successful design could boost fishing industry confidence to go back to fishing grounds.

UK Benefit - notes: Links to sustaining a strong commercial fishing industry