Marine

FLOWW Best Practice Guidance for Offshore Renewables Developments

February 19, 2014 by Paul Stainer No Comments | Category Marine Directorate Science, Marine Renewables, Publications

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The Fishing Liaison with Offshore Wind and Wet Renewables Group (FLOWW) was set up in 2002 to foster good relations between the fishing and offshore renewable energy sectors and to encourage co-existence between both industries. FLOWW’s objectives are to enable and facilitate discussion, discuss on matters arising from the interaction of the fishing and offshore renewable energy industries, to promote and share best practice, and to encourage liaison with other sectors in the marine environment. FLOWW comprises organisations with an interest in offshore renewables and the fishing industry, being comprised of fishing industry bodies, offshore renewable developers and consultants, government agencies and The Crown Estate.

In 2007, FLOWW identified the need for best practice guidance to inform developers and the commercial fishing community on the need for effective communication at all stages in the development and operation of offshore renewable energy installations (OREI). The first “Fishing Liaison Best Practice guidance for offshore renewables developers” was published in May 2008, when the offshore renewable energy industry was still in its infancy. In the following five years there has been continued growth in the offshore renewable energy industry, in part driven by European and domestic climate change legislation, and government renewable energy targets. As a result, FLOWW has agreed to revise and update the guidance. This guidance is intended for OREI developers and the commercial fishing industry, and draws on the extensive experience gained through the development of the first three offshore wind leasing rounds (Rounds 1, 2 and 3) and the construction and operation of the first two rounds, as well as the emerging wave and tidal sector. This guidance has been compiled in a spirit of co-operation, with the intention of forming the basis for long-term co-existence between both industries.

The guidance covers all current and future OREI developments across the UK, including:

• Offshore wind projects currently covered in the existing programmes (Rounds 1, 2, extensions, 3, and Scottish Territorial Waters (STW));
• Any future offshore wind rounds in UK territorial waters or the UK Renewable Energy Zone (REZ));
• Offshore wind test and demonstration sites; and
• Wave and tidal stream rounds and test and demonstration sites.

The guidance also covers all aspects of projects, including substations, cabling (array and export) and grid connections. There are a variety of types of renewable energy devices covered by this guidance; illustrative examples are given in Appendix 1. Marine Scotland’s Marine Planning & Policy staff have been actively involved in the development of this report

Article by Bruce Buchanan

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