Great Lakes Wind Council. April 23 rd Environmental Issues, Monitoring & Assessment: The European Approach. Jonny Lewis

Transcription

1 1 Great Lakes Wind Council April 23 rd 2009 Environmental Issues, Monitoring & Assessment: The European Approach Jonny Lewis Offshore Renewables Manager, RPS Energy 1 RPS Group Plc 1 2 Introduction to RPS Group Brief History of UK Offshore Wind 3 Offshore Wind: Key Environmental Issues 4 Project Development: Headline Issues 2

2 2 RPS Group Plc Europe s leading environmental, planning and engineering consultancy Employing over 4,000 personnel in 80 offices (including Houston, Calgary and Halifax) and over 800 associates Independent consultants operating worldwide In depth experience of nearshore and offshore surveys and related offshore structures, engineering construction and installation (> 5000 projects) Projects in over 100 countries per year Trading since 1970 & FTSE250 Company One of only 12 companies on the LSE that have increased revenue and profits every year in the past 10 years Capitalised at more than US$ 1 billion Revenue ~ US$ 700 million in RPS: Offshore Renewables Project Experience Key Clients: Over 100 offshore renewable energy projects since 2001 Selected Sites: Airtricity AMEC Bluewater Wind Centrica Crown Estate DONG E.ON Renewables Elsam Engineering Energi E2 GE Wind Energy Lunar Energy Marine Current Turbines Naikun Inc. NI Electricity Norsk Hydro Npower Renewables Open Hydro RES Scottish Power Scottish & Southern Electricity Shell Wind StatoilHydro Burbo Bank Cromer Delaware, US Docking Shoal EMEC Gunfleet Sands 1 & 2 Gwynt y Mor Humber Gateway Kentish Flats Lincs London Array Long Island, US Lynn & Inner Dowsing Naikun, Vancouver Race Bank Rhyl Flats Scarweather Sands Shell Flats Sheringham Shoals Triton Knoll Walney West of Duddon Westernmost Rough 4

3 3 RPS Group Plc 1 2 Introduction to RPS Group Brief History of UK Offshore Wind 3 Offshore Wind: Key Environmental Issues 4 Project Development: Headline Issues 5 Brief History of Offshore Wind in the UK Blyth Offshore became the UK's first offshore wind farm when it was commissioned in December Crown Estate owns almost all the UK coastline out to 12 nautical miles. Round 1-18 sites of up to 30 turbines (1.5GW) Round 2-15 projects of up to 7.2 GW Round 3 Target of 25 GW by

4 4 Why go Offshore [in the UK]? Better wind resource compared to onshore Restricted availability of onshore sites Planning constraints onshore Offshore consents from Central Government Strategic framework (SEA) for offshore development Out of sight Capacity for larger projects & turbines (> 5MW?) Offshore expertise from UK N. Sea Oil & Gas Industry Increasing reliance on energy imports 7 Brief History of Offshore Wind in the UK UK Offshore (Sept. 08) Operational 7 projects MW Under Construction 8 projects 1130 MW Consented 9 projects 3,413 MW In planning 4 projects 1,570 MW Possess lease & undergoing studies 5 projects 2,740 MW 8

5 5 Round 3 additional 25 GW by Round 3 additional 25 GW by

6 6 Round 3 additional 25 GW by Round 3 additional 25 GW by 2020 The Deeper Seas MW Round 3 Round 2 Round Water Depth (m) 12

7 7 The Crowded Seas Environmental issues addressed through strategic zonal development Marine Spatial Planning (no formal mechanism for MSP yet) SEA Process 13 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Issued on 26th January 2009 for consultation Considered 3 scenarios: 1. Not to offer any areas for leasing/licensing 2. To proceed with a leasing and licensing programme 3. To restrict the areas offered for leasing and licensing temporally or spatially Consultation period ends 22 nd April 2009 Key issues identified by the SEA relate to proposing a 22km coastal buffer 14

8 8 Round 3 Timescales for Development 15 UK Offshore Wind Capacity 16

9 9 Challenges Further Offshore - Rising Costs Supply Chain Bottlenecks Limited personnel with experience Lack of environmental data Grid connection constraints Limited choice of contractors/suppliers Unproven technology (>3.6MW) Rising O&M Costs Deep water engineering 17 RPS Group Plc 1 2 Introduction to RPS Group Brief History of UK Offshore Wind 3 Offshore Wind: Key Environmental Issues 4 Project Development: Headline Issues 18

10 10 Physical Environment (1) Extensive coastal process studies undertaken for projects to date Concentrated on effects on wave, tide and sediment transport Detailed data collection and computational modelling 19 Physical Environment (2) Extensive work also done on scour effects (impact on structures and seabed habitats Arklow Bank Scroby Sands Current understanding: whilst near-field effects do arise, far-field effects have not been identified. However, majority of data is from piled structures only 20

11 11 Biological Environment - Overview Key Receptors Seabed habitats Fish resources (spawning grounds) Birds Marine mammals Inter-tidal seabed habitats Designated conservation sites Key Impacts (construction and operation) Loss/damage to seabed habitats Damage to fish spawning habitats EMF effects on fish Collision risk and displacement of bird populations Noise impacts on fish and marine mammals Loss/damage to inter-tidal habitats (export cable laying) Damage to designated sites (European and UK Law) 21 Biological Environment - Seabed Habitats Case Study: Gunfleet Sands OWF (175MW) Extensive seabed surveys, using remote (geophysical) methods and grab/trawl surveys Undertaken pre and post-construction Localised effects with no regional-scale impacts 22

12 12 Biological Environment Turbine Colonisation Case Study: North Hoyle OWF (90MW) Photographs showing North Hoyle turbine towers and associated young whiting (left) and dense settlement of mussels (right) observed during 2004 monitoring surveys 23 Biological Environment Protected Species/Habitats Case Study: Lincs OWF (250MW) Key issues surrounding a discrete reef habitat (Sabellaria spinulosa) Protected under European law, but fishing activity can trawl over this habitat Presence of this ephemeral feature has resulted in major changes to export cable routes and the need to micro-site turbine positions This is still a live issue and one that presents a key challenge 24

13 13 Biological Environment Subsea Noise and Fish Spawning Case Study: London Array OWF (1000MW) Subsea noise impacts from pile driving on fish spawning Project close to herring spawning grounds Uncertain spatial distribution of these grounds Underwater noise attenuation modelling variable water depths Shallow water depth phased piling mid-feb to mid-apr 25 Biological Environment Bird Collision Risk Case Study: Lynn & Inner Dowsing OWF Radar surveys undertaken pre and post-turbine installation Focus on pink-footed geese, in particular potential cumulative collision risk effects with other OWF projects Initial data indicates avoidance reactions to turbines with minimal collision Follow-up surveys planned (Oct 09) to add to knowledge base 26

14 14 Biological Environment Bird Displacement Case Study: London Array OWF Developer-led surveys ID s large numbers of Red Throated Divers EIA determined that key potential impact was displacement 1000MW project phased to enable monitoring to be carried out Strict monitoring conditions now imposed 27 Human Environment Commercial Fishing Key objections to all OWF projects in UK waters Key issues raised include loss of fishing grounds, displacement of fishing activity, navigation risk, damage to fish stocks Disruption payments during construction phase Fishing permitted within 50m of turbines during operational phase Trials have demonstrated that this is feasible but many fishermen will choose not to due to risk/insurance reasons 28

15 15 Human Environment Commercial Shipping Significant issue for many UK projects to date Robust Navigational Risk Assessments need to be carried out Seasonal radar surveys to assess baseline shipping traffic Traffic Separation Schemes have had to be implemented on some projects (IMO approval required timescale issue) Detailed specifications set out for turbine lighting and markings 29 Human Environment Landscape & Visual One of the key issues to date for UK OWF projects Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments (LVIA) required for all projects Use of visual exclusion buffers (8km, 13km, 22km..?) by UK Government Organised anti lobby groups for some OWF projects No project yet refused on visual issues, although some have had to revise site size and array layout to gain consent Reliance on photomontages and wireframes 30

16 16 Human Environment Aviation & Radar Issue that has slowed issue of consents for many OWF projects Objections from MoD and NATS on radar issues Industry-wide technical solutions being sought High-level consultation via BWEA and MoD/NATS 31 Human Environment Maritime Archaeology Desk-based data and geophysical data used to ID wrecks Also a growing interest in paleoenvironmental issues 32

17 17 Human Environment Maritime Archaeology 33 UK Offshore: Key Environmental Issues Knowledge base is rapidly growing due to monitoring of built projects Significance of issues is changing, with old issues becoming less sensitive but new issues emerging Current view is that seabed impacts are less for OWF than for other established UK offshore industries (O&G, port development, sand & gravel dredging) Uncertainties still exist however, e.g. effects of subsea noise on marine mammal behaviour and fish spawning Offshore industry needs to utilise expensive monitoring data via adaptive management to close out certain issues and ensure that we continue to learn by doing 34

18 18 UK Offshore: Rd3 Environmental Issues? Calm water ahead? Probably not! The move into deeper waters poses new challenges and different physical, biological and human environment issues Increased scope for cumulative impacts exists due to step-change in numbers of turbines built A need exists for continued monitoring of key issues to maintain the knowledge base of offshore development Significant changes also face us offshore via changes in Planning and Marine Legislation 35 RPS Group Plc 1 2 Introduction to RPS Group Brief History of UK Offshore Wind 3 Offshore Wind: Key Environmental Issues 4 Project Development: Headline Issues 36

19 19 Offshore Project Development: Headline Issues Timescales: 8-9 years from site selection to power generation Cost: High costs of development and construction ($4.3m/MW) Stakeholders: Conflicting interests offshore (fisheries, navigation, military, oil & gas, sand dredging) Supply Chain: Key issue on UK projects. In particular, turbines and installation vessels (problem will improve) Electrical Grid Infrastructure: High demand, limited capacity, changing regime (OFTO) Policy and Legislation: No marine planning system; new IPC proposed, introduction of National Policy Statements (NPS s) 37 Project Development: Timescales (500MW project) Activity Yr1 a b Yr2 a b Yr3 a b Yr4 a b Yr5 a b Yr6 a b Yr7 a b Yr8 a b Yr9 a b EIA scoping Baseline surveys EIA (onshore & offshore) Consultation on draft ES Submission of ES to IPC IPC determination stage Pre-FEED studies Initial geotechnical Installation of met masts Full site geotechnical Construction procurement Award of contracts Onshore construction Offshore construction Power generation 38

20 20 Project Development: Timescales Minimum 24 months baseline bird data 6 months consultation on ES 9 months examination and determination stage by IPC Procurement linked strongly to consent award Offshore construction often affected by environmental windows 4 month piling restriction on may UK projects = $25 million cost to project Offshore construction undertaken over multiple years 39 Project Development: Costs Example: 1200MW project Overall EIA cost (onshore & offshore): $1.2million (includes some surveys) Additional surveys: Geophysical: $600k Bird surveys: $1.1million Onshore cable option studies: $110k Metocean: $100k Navigation: $75k Does not include.. Geotechnical surveys Met mast construction and installation Grid applications Engineering design (pre-feed) 40

21 21 Project Development: Stakeholders On-going issues with commercial fisheries sector and military and civil aviation stakeholders Emerging issues with commercial navigation sector (compensation) On-going debate with nature conservation groups on key issues Recent SEA process has raised visual issues high up the agenda (22km buffer proposed) so visual issues still important 41 Project Development: Supply Chain Key issue in recent years due to turbine problems and shortage of suitable vessels Problem will improve with increase in turbine suppliers and new build of installation vessels 42

22 22 Project Development: Electrical Grid Infrastructure Key issue to be resolved (where do we plug in 25GW.?) New OFTO regime proposed (OFfshore Transmission Owner) Will create a defined boundary between offshore wind farm owner and offshore grid owner 43 Project Development: Policy & Legislation Lots of uncertainty about nature and scope of the NPS s and the IPC New Marine Management Organisation will also be introduced in 2009 Marine Bill going through UK parliament may introduce Marine Spatial Planning Marine Protected Area/Marine Conservation Zones legislation is emerging: synergy with offshore renewables yet to be fully explored 44

23 23 UK Offshore: Many things have troubled me in life but very few of them ever happened Mark Twain 45