Monitoring Programs

Monitoring Programs

ORPC places strong emphasis on minimizing effects to the marine environment through the design of our power systems and careful siting of projects. In partnership with key technical advisors we assess interaction of marine or aquatic life with our power systems using a number of methodologies and technology applications.

We developed the following monitoring plans as part of our Cobscook Bay Tidal Energy Project in Maine:

• Acoustics
• Benthic and biofouling
• Fisheries and marine life interaction
• Hydraulics
• Marine mammals
• Sea and shorebirds

For our project in Igiugig, Alaska, the shallow, clear water river environment allows for the use of video to monitor aquatic life interactions with the RivGen® Power System. As a result of monitoring around our power systems, comprising hundreds of hours of data, not a single injury or mortality to marine or aquatic life has been observed.