ACEP Member to Talk About Environment at Annex IV Workshop

The Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) affiliate faculty member Andy Seitz will participate in an Ocean Energy Systems Annex IV workshop in Scotland titled “Addressing Collision Risks in Tidal and River Turbines: Next Steps for the Marine Energy Sector.”

Andy Seitz; Photo: ACEP/UAF

Seitz will lead a discussion on the current state of the science aimed at understanding environmental effects of marine energy development, including in situ observations and modeling predictions.

Launched in 2001, the Ocean Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme is an intergovernmental collaboration between 25 member countries. It operates under the framework established by the International Energy Agency in Paris.

The OES brings together countries to advance research, development and demonstration of conversion technologies to harness energy from all forms of ocean renewable resources. These include tides, waves, currents and temperature salinity gradients, which can generate electricity and supply power for other actions, such as desalination. The OES promotes international cooperation and information exchange.

Annex IV was established to examine the environmental effects of marine renewable energy development. The United States leads the Annex IV effort, with the U.S. Department of Energy as the operating agent, partnered with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Annex IV is implemented by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.