JUNE 2022

SPECIAL ISSUE ON TRITON FIELD TRIALS

Illustration representing marine energy devices and environmental monitoring technologies research through the Triton Field Trials. (Illustration by Stephanie King | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

We are thrilled to announce the release of a special issue in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering entitled “Technology and Methods for Environmental Monitoring of Marine Renewable Energy” that features results and recommendations from the Triton Field Trials (TFiT). Conducted from 2018 to 2022, TFiT provides peer-reviewed recommendations for environmental monitoring procedures and technologies to advance the knowledge and understanding of the potential environmental impacts associated with marine energy devices. This special issue is a collection of ten publications that include results, recommendations, and considerations for scientifically defendable technologies and methods to address some of the marine energy industry’s greatest environmental concerns. Read more.

PUBLICATIONS IN THE SPECIAL ISSUE

• TFiT: Promoting Consistent Environmental Monitoring Methodologies for Marine Energy Sites
• Use of a 360-Degree Underwater Camera to Characterize Artificial Reef and Fish Aggregating Effects around Marine Energy Devices
• What’s in My Toolkit? A Review of Technologies for Assessing Changes in Habitats Caused by Marine Energy Development
• Capabilities of an Acoustic Camera to Inform Fish Collision Risk with Current Energy Converter Turbines
• Underwater Noise Measurements around a Tidal Turbine in a Busy Port Setting
• Quantifying Background Magnetic Fields at Marine Energy Sites: Challenges and Recommendations
• A Review of Modeling Approaches for Understanding and Monitoring the Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy
• Minimizing Ecological Impacts of Marine Energy Lighting
• A Framework for Effective Science Communication and Outreach Strategies for Marine Energy Projects
• A Summary of Environmental Monitoring Recommendations for Marine Energy Development That Considers Life Cycle Sustainability

FIELD NOTES: IN THE FIELD WITH BIOSONICS

Tim Acker preparing to place controlled acoustic targets in the water by the BioSonics, Inc. office in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Garrett Staines | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

Fish Biologist Garrett Staines recently traveled to Salmon Bay in Seattle, Washington to work alongside collaborators at BioSonics, Inc., including owner and CEO Tim Acker and Software Engineer Asa Packer. Together, the team conducted fieldwork for Triton’s Environmental Monitoring Technology Development Collision Risk Data Collection project, which aims to inform collision risk between fish and turbines with the use of commercially available video and acoustic sensors. In addition to sensor research and testing, the project works to improve data archiving software to streamline processing and analysis of large datasets. Ultimately, these efforts strive to decrease uncertainty and costs related to fish interaction studies in addition to providing technology solutions to address permitting requirements and clarify risk. Watch this video to learn more about the technologies researched through the Collision Risk Data Collection project.

TRITON NEWS

Triton Talks Webinar Five: Collision Risk with Garrett Staines

On June 16th, Fish Biologist Garrett Staines hosted the 5^th session of the Triton Talks webinar series and discussed strategies and methods to assess collision risk associated with marine energy installations. In this webinar, Staines dived into how he and the collision risk research team worked to understand these risks by deploying various technologies, such as video and acoustic cameras, around turbines as part of TFiT. Watch the recorded webinar.

Next Triton Talks Webinar: Underwater Noise and Anthropogenic Light

On July 27th, Triton will host an hour-long webinar that will cover two marine energy environmental monitoring topics: underwater noise and anthropogenic light. Triton Marine Scientist Joe Haxel will discuss his research on underwater noise in New Hampshire and California as part of TFiT. He will share recommendations for monitoring acoustic signals at multiple marine energy sites. Triton’s Alicia Amerson and Lighting Scientist Morgan Pattison from Solid State Light Services, Inc. will join Haxel to discuss their review on anthropogenic light impacts associated with marine energy applications and recommendations for mitigation strategies. Join them to learn more about these exciting topics and participate in a discussion about their recent research.

When: July 27, 2022 at 11 AM PST

Register here!

Have you missed any of the Triton Talks webinars? Check out the full collection of recordings on our Triton Talks Youtube playlist.

Triton is designed to support the development and testing of more precise and cost-effective environmental monitoring technologies for marine energy. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory leads Triton on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office.

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