On February 8, 2013, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a new database that includes the results of environmental monitoring and research efforts on wave, tidal, and current renewable energy. The new database is called “Tethys,” (named for the Greek titaness of the ocean) and was developed as part of a collaboration with the International Energy Agency. The database includes an interactive map of ocean energy environmental monitoring and research projects around the world.
DOE also released a report, Environmental Effects of Marine Energy Development around the World, that was compiled with the help of multiple agencies and nations. The report presents three case studies of interactions between marine energy devices and the marine environment. The studies examine interactions between marine animals and tidal turbine blades, the acoustic impact of marine energy devices on marine animals, and the effects of energy development on physical systems such as water circulation, sediment transport, and quality of the environment.
According to DOE’s news release, the project’s goal is to help regulators and project developers deploy ocean energy projects in an environmentally responsible manner.
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