The Environmental Impact Study of the Biscay Marine Energy Platform (bimep) project

Abstract

The Biscay Marine Energy Platform (bimep) is an offshore infrastructure for the demonstration and testing of wave energy harnessing devices promoted by the Basque Entity of Energy (Ente Vasco de la Energía - EVE). Bimep is located close to Arminza town (Basque Country, Northern Spain) and it consists on an 5.3 km2 sea area between 50 and 90 m depths where four static submarine cables will be placed, operating at 13kV and 5MW. According to the Royal Decree 1/2008 of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the bimep project falls into the 4.c category of projects of Annex II of this Decree. Such classification involves that the competent authority for environmental issues, that is, the General Directory for Quality and Environmental Evaluation of the Spanish Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Environment, has to decide whether or not the project needs to undergo the complete procedure of an EIA. On the first of June 2009, the General Council on Environmental Quality Assessment of the Ministry of Rural, Marine and Natural Environment of the Spanish Government, on the light of the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) of the bimep project undertaken by AZTI in 2008, decided not to submit the project to the whole Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. The EIS considered that the main actions associated with the project that could cause impacts were related to the installation process and the physical presence of structures (i.e. submarine cables, moorings and WECs), which could generate conflicts between different users of the area, as well as underwater noise, electromagnetic fields, reduction of marine energy, etc. The present contribution explains the main findings of the EIS: (i) description of the project; (ii) environmental characteristics of bimep area; (iii) expected impacts; (iv) mitigation measures and (iii) environmental monitoring plan

Full text

1. According to the Basque Country’s Energy Strategy, wave energy is the one of the forms of marine energy for which a
significant production is expected in the midterm. The particular geographical characteristics of the Basque Country provide
suitable conditions for the production of such energy.
2. In this context, the Basque Energy Agency (Ente Vasco de la Energía-EVE) launched in 2008 the initiative to build the bimep
(Biscay Marine Energy Project).
3. In 2008, according to Article 16 of Royal Decree 1/2008 of EIA, the Promoter (EVE) initiated the administrative procedure in
order to achieve the environmental approval of the project.
4. For this purpose, in 2008, AZTI developed the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) of the BIMEP project.
The Environmental Impact Study
of the Biscay Marine Energy Platform (bimep) project
1. INTRODUCTION
Juan Bald1, Andrea del Campo1, Javier Franco1, Ibon Galparsoro1, Manuel González1, Carlos Hernández1, Pedro Liria1, Iratxe
Menchaca1, Iñigo Muxika1, Oihana Solaun1, Ainhize Uriarte1, Yago Torre Enciso2, Dorleta Marina2
1AZTI-Tecnalia. Marine Research Division. Pasaia (Gipuzkoa), Spain. *Corresponding author: jbald@azti.es
2Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE). Alameda de Urquijo, 36 - 1º. Edificio Plaza Bizkaia. 48011 Bilbao (Bizkaia), Spain.
2. THE BIMEP PROJECT
4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
7. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN (EMP)
8. CONCLUSIONS
Hydrodynamic
Water Quality
Sediments
Benthos
Ictiofauna
Marine birds
Marine mammals
Fisheries
Cultural and archaeological
values
Protected species and
areas
Landscape
Socioeconomy
Installation
Consequence of energy extraction and
physical presence of devices. Underwater
sound, light, vibration and
electromagnetic fields generated by the
WECs and submarine cable during
operation. Wildlife entanglement,
entrapment and collision. Visual and
landscape impacts. The presence of
devices and their mooring system has the
potential to interfere with vessels and other
sea uses, e.g. fisheries, and also can lead
to disturbance/destruction of seabed
habitats. interference with designated
conservation areas and protected species,
of international, national and local
significance.
--- Ο ● ● ● Ο ● ● Ο Ο Ο ●
Exploitation
● Ο ● ● ● Ο ● ● Ο Ο ● ●
Dismantling
--- Ο ● ● ● Ο ● ● Ο Ο Ο ●
www.wavegen.co.uk
● Very significant impact;
● Significant impact;
Ο Not significant impact;
--- no relation
Acknowledgements
This work has been funded by the Basque Entity of Energy.
•Promoted by the Basque Entity of Energy (EVE), BIMEP represents an offshore
test site for the demonstration and proving of wave energy converters (WEC)
Bilbao, 20-24 April 2015
3. PROJECT SITE ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION
•On the first of june 2009, the General Council on Environmental Quality Assessment of the
Ministry of Rural, Marine and Natural Environment of the Spanish Government, on the light
of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) of the BIMEP project undertaken by AZTI-
Tecnalia, decided to not submit the project to the whole Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) process.
•In any case, the Environmental Impact Statement (EISt) of the Ministry, taking into account
the great uncertainties about some predicted environmental impacts, underlined the need to
implement the proposed Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) of the EIS.
3.1 Physical Environment
2°54'0"W 2°53'24"W 2°52'48"W 2°52'12"W 2°51'36"W
43°26'24"N 43°27'0"N 43°27'36"N 43°28'12"N 43°28'48"N
0 10,5 Km
Tipo de fondo
Fondo sedimentario
Fondo predominantemente sedimentario
Fondo mixto de arena y roca
3.2 Biotic Environment
3.1.1 Geology, geomorphology and sedimentology
2/3 of the occupation area of bimep is over sedimentary sediments or mixed rock-sand
sediments with low organic content and high grain size with a good selection degree (see
figure on the left). 1/3 of the occupation area of bimep is over rocky bed. Nearshore, there
are two paleochanels filled with sand-gravel sediments.
3.1.2 Tides: semidiurnal with a range between 4 and 1,5 m
3.1.3 Waves: the mean energy flux of waves is 21,4 kW/m coming from 50ºNW.
3.1.4 Currents: dominated by the wind, the mean speed of currents in water surface is
about 10-20 cm·s-1 with a NE-SW direction.
3.1.5 Hydrography: according to the Water Framework Directive requirements (Directive
2000/60/CEE), the physico-chemical status of the water bodies in the bimep area are in a
very good status.
3.1.6 Landscape: all the shoreline near bimep is listed as an area of special interest from the
point of view of marine landscape.
3.2 Socioeconomic Environment
•It consists of 8 km2 sea area
between 50 and 90 m depths
were four static submarine cables
will be placed, operating at 13kV
and 5MW.
•Wave energy generation devices
will be connected to these cables
through dynamic submarine
cables.
•In land, bimep will provide a
research centre in Arminza town
(Bizkaia, Basque Country,
Northern Spain) were developers
will be able to control the
behavior and performance of the
devices.
2°54'0"W 2°53'24"W 2°52'48"W 2°52'12"W 2°51'36"W
43°26'24"N 43°27'0"N 43°27'36"N 43°28'12"N 43°28'48"N
0 10,5 Km
-15 m
-20 m
-25 m
-30 m
-35 m
-40 m
-45 m
-50 m
-55 m
-60 m
-65 m
-70 m
-75 m
-80 m
-85 m
-90 m
Control
3.2.1 Benthos: according to the AZTI Biotic Index developed by AZTI,
(http://ambi.azti.es/es/ambi/), the benthic communities in the samples taken in
bimep (see figure on the left) are representatives of a community dominated by
species sensible to the alteration.
3.2.1 Ichtyofauna: there are not specific data on the bimep area.
3.2.1 Marine birds: 3 are the main marine bird species in the bimep area: (a) European
storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus); (b) European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) and (c)
Yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis). Consequently, the bimep area has been proposed to
be declared as an Important Bird Area (IBA).
A B C
3.2.4 Marine mammals: the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is a common specie in the
bimep area.
The main economic activity in the bimep area is the fishing activity of 11-14 small
professional artisanal vessels which account for more than 14,000 kg of captures
of more than 10 different species of small pelagic and bottom fishes.
Also, it´s significant the leisure fishing activity of more than 20 small vessels
when meteorological conditions are suitable.
Very
significant impact PROJECT ACTIVITIES
a = installation; b = operation; c = decommissioning
Significant
impact
Estructures Submarine cables Beach Man Hole Power lines
Impact (%)
No
impact
No
relation
a b c a b c a b c a b c
PHYSIC ENVIRONMENT
Sediments
1 3 1 1 1 1
33,30
29,17
Water
quality 1 1 1 1 1 1
25,00
Hydrodinamics
1 1 1 1 1 1
25,00
Landscape
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
25,00
BIOTIC ENVIRONMENT
Benthos
2 3 2 2 2 2
54,10
54,30
Ichthyofauna
2 2 2 2 2 2
50,00
Marine
birds 2 2 2 2 2
50,00
Marine
mammals 3 2 2 3 2 3
62,50
SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
Fishing
3 3 3 1 1
50,00
43,50
Socioeconomy
+ + + + + + + + + 3 3 2
66,60
Archaeological
underwater
resources
1 1 25
Protected
areas and species 2 2 2 3 3 3
62,50
IMPACT (%)
45,00
50,00
42,50
45,40
44,40
43,7
25 25 25 50 50
37,50
45,80 44,50 25 45,80
5. IMPACT HYERARCHY
•The structures (WECs, moorings and mooring lines) produce a 45,8% of impact, specially during the operation phase.
•The submarine cable produce a 44,5% of impact, specially during installation and decommissioning.
•The biotic environment receive a 54,3% of impact, specially over marine mammals and benthic communities.
•The socioeconomic environment receive a 43,5% of impact, specially over the fishing activity.
6. PROTECTION, AMENDMENT AND COMPENSATING MEASURES
2
1
3
4
5
6
2449 m
898m
1538 m
1787m
1153m
ARMINZA
1700 m
PROJECT MODIFICATION
•Project area: 8 km2 5,3 km2
•Submarine cables route:
•Avoid rocky bottom.
•100 m distance from some
geologic structures.
•WEC moorage areas: one of the
moorage area has been reshaped in
order to avoid the impact over some
geologic structures.
•Economic compensation to the
fishing sector due to the
competence of bimep with the same
space of activity.
The Environmental Monitoring Plan focus on the monitoring of benthic communities (drag samples and visual inspections with
ROV), Ichtyofauna (active acoustics buoys), underwater sound and marine mammals (passive acoustic), hydrodinamics (wave and
current profiler installation), archaeological resources (visual inspections with ROV), electromagnetic fields, marine birds
(following of the results of the annual census made in the nesting colonies near bimep) and coastline landscape characterization.