Marine renewable energy developments
Marine renewable energy projects
Marine renewable energy includes:
- Wave
- Tidal stream
- Tidal range
Marine renewable energy can have impacts on the environment including, birds, marine mammals, benthic ecology, fish and physical processes. Marine renewable energy developers must assess how their project may impact on the environment.
Guidance, Evidence and Data
Find guidance, data and evidence for your marine renewable energy development.
Guidance on consenting and assessments
- Marine licence information and guidance on applying from our permitting service
- Guidance on using adaptive management for marine developments
- Guidance on scoping an Environmental Impact Assessment for marine developments
- NRW and Environmental Assessments
Guidance for receptors
- Guidance on conservation legislation for marine vertebrates in Wales
- Guidance on how to carry out assessments on benthic habitats
- Guidance on marine physical processes and EIA
- Evidence report on marine mammal site characterisation for marine renewable energy
- Evidence report reviewing tidal energy project envelops and marine mammals
Guidance on data for assessments
NRW evidence priorities, research and reports
Other information sources
- Welsh Government Marine Planning for the Welsh National Marine Plan
- Marine Energy Wales bring together marine renewable energy stakeholders
- The Crown Estate manage most of the seabed and award leases for developments
- Tethys where you can find marine renewable energy information and research from around the world
Topic-specific Information Notes published by Welsh Government in collaboration with the Science & Evidence Advisory Group provide a shared understanding of the science and evidence that underpins the assessment of selected matters relevant to marine renewable energy developments in Wales. The notes include the views of NRW as a marine advisor at the point of publication (July 2022). These comments do not prejudice NRW’s future advice on specific project applications. NRW recommends developers review this information prior to assessments, they should not replace any required, project-specific engagement between project developers, consultants, NRW and their statutory consultees. The information is generic and advice on these issues for individual projects may change depending on case specific circumstances. It should also be recognised that the evidence base is continually evolving and information in the notes may need to be supplemented with evidence that has become available since publication.
Wales’ natural resources offer great potential to generate renewable energy from the wind, waves and tide. Through sustainably managing these resources we can ensure the right development in the right place, help meet decarbonisation targets and enable blue growth in Wales.
The sector is still developing and projects are still at demonstration stage. This is helping to grow understanding of environmental interactions which can be built into future projects.
Contact us
If you are considering a marine renewable energy project in Welsh waters, please get in touch with us at an early stage marine.area.advice@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk