Offshore Renewable Energy
The Joint Nature
Conservation Committee (JNCC) provides advice on nature
conservation to government and industry on renewable energy
proposals in the offshore environment. It is JNCC policy to support
appropriately sited renewable energy developments because of the
environmental benefits they can deliver through sustainable energy
generation.
Over 33 Giga Watts of renewable energy
projects are planned in the UK Renewable energy zone following on
from Round 1, 2 and 3 offshore windfarm licensing. The Government
is anticipating this will be delivered by 2020. The majority of
proposed windfarm development is located in offshore waters and
JNCC will be the lead agency providing environmental advice to
renewable energy companies and their regulators.
JNCC is a member of the Renewable Energy
Deployment and Environmental Issues Project Board. A joint
statement was released by the members in July 2009 that outlined
where the board would work cooperatively and effectively to ensure
that the UK achieves 15% of its energy needs from renewable sources
by 2020.
The renewable energy deployment
and Environmental Issues Project Board - joint statement
on renewable energy consenting
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We co-ordinate with country
conservation agencies on nature conservation issues related to
marine renewables such as the potential for disturbance of marine
mammals arising from piling noise and effects on birds. We
also provide technical support on marine
bird survey methodologies. In this role we have also assisted
with advice on wave and tidal technologies including the South West
England Wave Hub Project.
JNCC also assist with UK policy
development on renewables, and have advised on the Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA) processes for Round
2 offshore wind in England and Wales and for
Wave
and Tidal Technologies in Scotland and the
Energy SEA.
JNCC contribute
to the work of COWRIE (Collaborative Offshore Wind
Research into the Environment) in particular, the work on
marine mammals and ornithology.
JNCC piling
guidelines
The installation of driven
piles in the marine environment without mitigation is likely to
produce noise levels capable of causing injury and disturbance to
marine mammals. In association with DEFRA and the country agencies,
JNCC has produced guidance on ‘the protection of marine
European Protected Species from injury and disturbance’. The
piling protocol forms part of that more general guidance and the
recommendations should be considered as ‘best practice’ for piling
operations.