Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy (MKE) generates power by harnessing the natural flow of water without using a dam, a diversionary structure, or an impoundment. It is defined as electrical energy from waves, tides, currents and temperature differentials in oceans, estuaries, and tidal areas, as well as from free flowing water in rivers, lakes, streams and man-made channels. Marine and hydrokinetic energy has the potential to provide almost 10% of the US electricity demands. However, the potential environmental effects of marine and hydrokinetic energy are far from well understood, both in general scientific, engineering, socio-economic, and ecological principles and in site-specific cases. The objective of this project is to bring together a group of experts via a workshop to: (1) lay down the major research challenges and opportunities at the interface of marine/hydrokinetic energy and the environment, and (2) to create synergies among principal investigators towards forming multi-disciplinary research groups that can better undertake end-to-end research in energy and the environment. Invitees will include researchers in academic institutions, National Research Laboratories, and Federal agencies to foster across-agency interactions. Topics to be covered in the workshop span the full spectrum of physical-engineering-economic aspects of MHK energy in oceans, estuaries and rivers including: impact of offshore MHK farms on ocean waves and seabed geomorphology, impact of energy devices on hydrodynamics, wave propagation and turbulence, impact on sediment transport and stream morphodynamics, and evaluation of ecosystem changes and trade-offs including alteration of stream biology and bio-geochemistry as well as impacts on fish movement and migration,. Engineering aspects of turbine size and cluster arrangement on the above aspects will also be studied.

As marine and hydrokinetic energy technology develops at a fast pace and as the pressure for new licenses piles up, accelerated research in providing the scientific understanding of harnessing the natural power of water for renewable energy without harming the environment becomes a priority and thus this workshop is very timely. About 25 ? 30 scientists with expertise in fluid mechanics, wave propagation, geomorphology, sediment transport, hydrology, aquatic biology, nutrient transport, bio-geochemistry, and ocean engineering will be invited, seeking a balance between senior and junior investigators, gender and underrepresented groups. Also, an expert in communicating science to the public and science education will be invited to participate. Participants will be invited to give a presentation of their recent work as well as their perspectives on research opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Students and post-docs will be encouraged to attend and will be provided with travel funds. In addition to presentations, focus groups will be created to discuss specific topics and to contribute to a state-of -the-art summary on MHK energy and the environment research status and future needs.

Project Report

Marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) energy harvesting technologies convert kinetic energy of waves and water currents to generate electricity. Although these technologies are at early stages of development compared to other renewable technologies, such as solar and wind energy, they offer electricity consumers situated near coastlines or inland rivers an alternative renewable energy technology that can help meet renewable portfolio standards. However, the potential environmental impacts of MHK energy are far from well understood, both in general principles and in site-specific cases. As pressure for new MHK energy licenses piles up, accelerated research in providing the scientific understanding of harnessing the natural power of water for renewable energy at a competitive cost and without harming the environment becomes a priority. NSF funding was provided to organize a workshop entitled: "Research at the Intersection of Marine/Hydrokinetic Energy and the Environment" with the goal of bringing together experts in the diverse disciplines involved in this area of research and discuss science gaps, new research directions, opportunities for bringing together NSF and DOE researchers to capitalize on the exchange of data, and to craft an agenda for future research and education. A two-days meeting took place at the St Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 6-7 October 2011. About 40 researchers were invited from academia, industry, and national laboratories with expertise both in the development of MHK energy technologies (from the device perspective) and in assessing the effect of these technologies on the physical and biological processes of the coastal or fluvial environment. WORKSHOP OUTCOMES: The meeting was structured around three main sessions: (1) Devices: Benchmark data and modeling, (2) Tides and Waves, and (3) Environmental impacts. The presentations stressed the potential effects associated with the deployment of arrays of MHK devices , which include changes of the local hydrodynamics, wave and turbulence properties, sediment transport and biological activity e.g., fish habitats and benthic organisms, and acoustic and electromagnetic field intensities affecting behavioral features and migrating patterns of fish. The following priority research areas were identified for near-term investment in resource and intellectual resources: (1) Development of a better understanding of the natural variability and dynamics of the physical/biological environment against which changes due to MHK energy devices can be assessed; (2) Definition of multi-dimensional metrics for quantifying environmental change and for differentiating MHK effects from background natural variability; (3) Development of predictive multi-scale, multi-physics models of varying degrees of complexity and resolution to guide device deployment scenarios and assess short- and long-term consequences of those scenarios; and (4) Incorporation of uncertainty in decision making. Lively exchange of ideas took place in the break-out group discussions as to what directions are the most pressing or fruitful for research and collaboration, impediments to progress (including the lack of data for establishing baseline conditions around which changes are to be quantified), the value of controlled experiments to advance hypothesis testing, and the need to establish interdisciplinary groups which cut across geomorphology, hydrology, biology, ecology, engineering, and socio-economic sciences to address the exploration of MHK as a viable source of renewable energy. Some of the current research at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory has been also partially supported by this grant to perform a preliminary investigation of the turbulence structure above a moving bedform and in the wake of a horizontal axis turbine.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Earth Sciences (EAR)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
1136563
Program Officer
Thomas Torgersen
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2011-08-15
Budget End
2013-07-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$40,102
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Country
United States
Zip Code
55455