Abstract
As marine renewable energy (MRE) is still a new industry, there are many unknowns about the potential environmental effects of MRE deployments. These concerns are largely based in the uncertainty of how wave and tidal devices interact with the environment, or how marine animals behave around devices. This uncertainty makes permitting processes for MRE projects difficult, often requiring extensive monitoring and data collection. This cautious approach may limit the implementation of MRE technologies or create financial barriers to development.
To better understand the viewpoint of regulators and advisors involved in permitting MRE devices, a survey was conducted among multiple OES Environmental countries. The survey was intended to understand the familiarity of regulators with MRE technologies, their perceptions of environmental risk, and their recommendations on best approaches to MRE development, including permitting and the potential for data transferability. The survey also included some questions to gather Tethys user data. This report summarizes the results from the survey of regulators and advisors in Australia, conducted in 2021.