Streamlining marine energy consenting regime
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There is potential for 10% of Scotland’s electricity production to come from marine sources by 2020 and a key opportunity for Scotland to become a renewable energy exporter. In order to harness the opportunities that exist, work commissioned by the Scottish Government identified the need for a streamlined, integrated licensing and consenting process.
Guidance where it’s needed
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) approached Xodus AURORA, an independent specialist consultancy, to work together on the project to propose a streamlined consenting process and produce guidance on environmental impact assessment (EIA). The result of the project will be a guide for all involved in wave and tidal energy projects in Scotland.
EMEC is leading the consenting aspects of the project and Xodus AURORA on the EIA and appropriate assessment guidance. Working on the project with EMEC, which operates two grid-connected test sites in Orkney waters for wave and tidal technologies, Liz Foubister, principal environmental consultant at Xodus AURORA said: “There is a real need for clear guidance to help all those involved in wave and tidal projects on both the consenting process and environmental assessment aspects of projects. The aim is to simplify the current permit and consent application process.”
Scottish renewables industry
The Government is committed to maintaining Scotland’s position at the forefront of the marine renewables industry and recognises the need to simplify the current permit and consenting regime for the efficient and effective development of Scotland’s valuable marine resources.
Author: With almost 250 staff in the UK and Australia, Xodus Group comprises five divisions: Environmental (Xodus AURORA),Technical, Safety and Risk (TSR), Subsea, Integration Technology, and Process and Facilities.
Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/23112009/streamlining_marine_energy/
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