The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will assess the potential effects from development of marine renewables (wave and tidal energy devices) off the west and north coasts of Scotland. Please click here for study area map.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the SEA Directive, the main objectives of this SEA project have been identified as:

• To assess, at a strategic level, the effects on the environment of meeting the Marine Energy Group report target for establishing 1,300 MW of marine renewables capacity around Scotland by 2020
• Advising and supporting the Scottish Executive in the development and implementation of its marine renewable energy strategy and informing future development of planning guidance for marine energy development
• To inform the project level decision making process for all stakeholders (to include regulator and developer)
• To facilitate focussed investment into the marine renewable energy sector in Scotland.

Based on the above objectives, the main deliverables of the SEA process will be:

• Establishment of the baseline situation
• Identification of gaps and inconsistencies in the baseline data and the need for further survey work
• Consultation (to be undertaken continuously, at varying levels, throughout the project)
• Assessment of the effects of the marine renewable devices on the marine environment
• Recommendation of mitigation measures to avoid, reduce or offset any significant adverse effects on the environment
• Documentation of the findings from the SEA (scoping and environmental reports which meet the requirements of the SEA directive, public consultation documents and internal discussion papers)
• Advising and supporting the Scottish Executive in the preparation and implementation of its strategy for marine energy and planning guidance for marine development
• Advising on the scope of potential monitoring requirements and providing a web-based information resource.

Project timescales