Proportionate Planning in Marine Renewables Scottish Renewables Conference March 2014 Laura Carse Project Development Manag Pelamis Wave Power CF16539GG 1 Pelamis Wave Power Core business in the design and development of the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter Widely recognised as the world’s most advanced wave power developer Established in 1998, currently with 52 employees. • Design, build, install and operate the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter • Six machines built to date, two currently being tested in Orkney Project Development and Planning Multiple sites under development: – Utility Led – Joint Venture (PWP and Utility) – Independent (PWP Led) PWP MANUFACTURING FACILITIES CF16539GG 1 The Need For Proportionality • Wave and Tidal developments consented under the same legislation as offshore wind: – Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 – Section 36 (over 1 MW for offshore renewables). – Guidance / EIA requirement legacy • PFOW Round 1 Leasing Round large scale development of marine renewables. • Initial deployment predictions for vast build out in a restricted area & relatively undeveloped area. • Generic guidance covering multiple technologies & Technology uncertainty, scale of proposed build out, and legacy of experience consenting of large offshore wind farms CF16539GG 1 Current Status • Developers consenting smaller developments < 10 MW (Pelamis Wave Power, SPR Sound of Islay, Nautricity) • Developers demonstrating technology outside test centres (OPT, Oceanflow Energy) • Developers seeking smaller markets and applications (Albatern) CLEAR JUSTIFICATION FOR A SCALED DOWN APPROACH • Is this achievable? • How can we develop a more proportional approach? • What has done to date? CF16539GG 1 How Can we Achieve Proportionality? • Test centres have developed streamlined planning processes • Developments < 1MW unlikely to require EIA. • However limitations to how much can be achieved: – Onshore infrastructure (substation, grid connection, land leases) – Subsea export cable Balance of plant infrastructure, expenditure and planning relatively constant irrespective of capacity of generating plant. • Opportunity to focus on the generating station. CF16539GG 1 Can Proportionate Planning Be Achieved Screening • Unclear thresholds setting what EIA requirement for marine renewables. With increasing understanding of environmental can regulators have confidence for smaller developments screen out EIA? Scoping and Identification of Significant Environmental Effects • Crucial, both in determining whether EIA is required and when determining scope and content of an ES. Development of a more robust approach to assigning significance (e.g. aquaculture). Guidance • Generic guidance for wind, wave and tidal developers covers different technologies across different environments, different scales of deployments with substantial differing significant impacts. Can more sector specific guidance be developed. Lessons Learnt • Understanding the regulation of other offshore sectors may provide new ways or methodologies to approach consenting technology in the marine renewable environment. CF16539GG 1 Learning from Other Sectors CF16539GG 1 Progress • New methodology for assessing marine navigational safety from Maritime Coastguard Agency provides guidance based on scale, magnitude of risks. • Survey, Deploy & Monitor tool provides an optional policy tool option to reduce data collection for birds and marine mammals requirements by developers. • Data gathering by MSS &TCE (fisheries, birds, marine mammals, navigational activity) helps to reduce burden on developers. CF16539GG 1 Conclusions • Wave and tidal technologies initially developed via test site or large scale deployment proposals • Proportionality initially difficult to achieve due to s.36 legacy, uncertainty of environmental impact, and scale of deployments proposed. • Generic guidance developed for offshore wind, wave and tidal set a high benchmark for smaller, less risky sites. • Limitations to what can be achieved due to balance of plant requirements, regardless of project size. • Good progress has been made to support developers however much opportunity to improve: screening, focusing on significant effects, developing sector specific guidance and learning from other technologies.