Public Opinions and Effects on Communities

Public Attitudes

Using statistics from opinion polls produced in the UK about similar ocean technologies being used for renewable energy suggest that more than 90 percent of the British population are in favour of renewable energy, but this does not mean that people will accept every project. It is hoped that wave and tidal energy will become as popular as wind energy – perhaps even more so, as they have less visual impact on the landscape. [1]

Effects on Communities

For communities close to sites of wave energy generation, there are a number of issues to consider:

• Ocean energy devices can offer coastal protection.
• Devices could create artificial habitats, promoting marine biodiversity.
• There can be some noise, mainly from the Wells turbines of oscillating water columns. However, these can be soundproofed and their noise would partly be masked by natural background noise at the shoreline.
• Some devices could be navigational hazards, but visual and radar warning devices can be built into them.
• The line that transmits electricity to the shore can be made to sit below the sea floor and underground, to minimise visual impacts.

[2]

1./2. United Kingdom Government, Department of Energy and Climate Change, http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/energy_mix/renewable/explained/wave_tidal/wave_community/wave_community.aspx.