Research and Innovation Centre, the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, has released a report urging the integration of a regional ecosystem monitoring programme (REMP) to accelerate the consenting process. As the UK Government focuses on increasing offshore wind development, adapting the environmental consenting process will be required to ensure expansion can be delivered efficiently and at pace.

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Currently, environmental assessments for offshore wind proposals are delivered project by project and can take several years. ORE Catapult is calling for the introduction of a REMP, which examines environmental impacts at the regional level and accelerates the consenting process to deliver the scale and pace required for the UK to achieve its offshore wind targets. The regional monitoring plan would replace developer-focused assessments and secure funding from the Government.

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The report recommends creating an independent group to manage and facilitate the REMP process and removing the ‘scoping stage’ from the pre-application period of the environmental consenting process. A regional method would benefit both the industry and the regulator. Industry would benefit by eliminating complexities and costs associated with monitoring. Regulators would benefit from reduced administrative challenges and fewer uncertainties concerning environmental impacts.

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Additionally, the report delivered as part of the Accelerating Consenting for Offshore Renewables Deployment (ACORD) project supports the promotion of innovative monitoring technology to allow for accelerated scaling and comprehensive analysis. It suggests that building an open-source database equipped with EIA assessment and monitoring data for offshore wind and grid projects would enable developers to complete required EIAs more efficiently and at a reduced cost. According to the report, making data sets open-access would make the details more valuable and work towards specific policy and management measures.

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Dr Caroline Whalley, author of the report, believes that we must embrace innovative survey methods and ways of thinking. By taking a regional-based approach to monitoring, we can apply a holistic way of thinking, ensuring the UK can deliver quicker and informed decisions for sustainable offshore wind development. Professor Beth Scott of the University of Aberdeen believes the regional approach proposed by ORE Catapult delivers a clear roadmap, including the necessary changes that will enable a better understanding of the best regional decisions and consenting options that are required.

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