The gigawatt-scale deployment of wind and ocean technology energy sources presents a number of challenges in the regulatory and public engagement arenas. Energetics developed a strategic framework for systematically assessing the ecological and human risks associated with siting and deploying wind energy. Using an integrative approach, this framework provides a way to evaluate and compare the risks to ecological resources and communities in the context of the life-cycle effects of gigawatt-scale energy developments.
Client Need
Experts from the National Renewables Environmental Laboratory and the Department of Energy as well as in the broader energy community required a more systematic approach to better evaluate the potential environmental and human impacts of large-scale renewable energy deployment.
Solution
Through careful research, analysis and discussions, Energetics developed an integrated risk framework to better identify and assess priority risks associated with gigawatt-scale wind energy deployment.
Results
This research conducted by Energetics has been well received throughout the national and global wind community. Presentations of this integrated risk framework research have been given at several national and international conferences, including the Global Marine Renewable Energy Conference (New York City, 2008), the International Conference for Ocean, Offshore and Artic Engineering (Hawaii, 2009), and the Great Lakes Wind Council of Michigan (Lansing, 2009).