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Marine Energy Environmental Permitting and Compliance Costs

Author

Listed:
  • William J. Peplinski

    (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA)

  • Jesse Roberts

    (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA)

  • Geoff Klise

    (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA)

  • Sharon Kramer

    (H. T. Harvey & Associates, Los Gatos, CA 95032, USA)

  • Zach Barr

    (Kearns & West, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA)

  • Anna West

    (Kearns & West, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA)

  • Craig Jones

    (Integral Consulting, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA)

Abstract

Costs to permit Marine Energy projects are poorly understood. In this paper we examine environmental compliance and permitting costs for 19 projects in the U.S., covering the last 2 decades. Guided discussions were conducted with developers over a 3-year period to obtain historical and ongoing project cost data relative to environmental studies (e.g., baseline or pre-project site characterization as well as post-installation effects monitoring), stakeholder outreach, and mitigation, as well as qualitative experience of the permitting process. Data are organized in categories of technology type, permitted capacity, pre- and post-installation, geographic location, and funding types. We also compare our findings with earlier logic models created for the Department of Energy (i.e., Reference Models). Environmental studies most commonly performed were for Fish and Fisheries, Noise, Marine Habitat/Benthic Studies and Marine Mammals. Studies for tidal projects were more expensive than those performed for wave projects and the range of reported project costs tended to be wider than ranges predicted by logic models. For eight projects reporting full project costs, from project start to FERC or USACE permit, the average amount for environmental permitting compliance was 14.6%.

Suggested Citation

  • William J. Peplinski & Jesse Roberts & Geoff Klise & Sharon Kramer & Zach Barr & Anna West & Craig Jones, 2021. "Marine Energy Environmental Permitting and Compliance Costs," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:16:p:4719-:d:607880
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Haley A Viehman & Gayle Barbin Zydlewski, 2017. "Multi-scale temporal patterns in fish presence in a high-velocity tidal channel," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-20, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zachary Barr & Jesse Roberts & William Peplinski & Anna West & Sharon Kramer & Craig Jones, 2021. "The Permitting, Licensing and Environmental Compliance Process: Lessons and Experiences within U.S. Marine Renewable Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-16, August.

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