North Wales tidal energy scheme, Morlais marks a significant milestone as it bids farewell to the Marinus buoy this week. The specialist monitoring platform has been central to marine wildlife research off the coast of Ynys M\u00f4n (Anglesey) for over two years. The buoy\u2019s removal signals the end of the of data\u2011gathering phase before tidal turbines are deployed in the Morlais zone over the next few years.<\/p>\n
Launched in 2024 as part of the Marine Characterisation Research Project (MCRP) led by Menter M\u00f4n, the Marinus has been central to tracking marine mammals and birds in the area. Equipped with cutting\u2011edge monitoring technology, the information and data it has gathered will be vital to safeguarding wildlife as the Morlais tidal energy scheme progresses.<\/p>\n
The Marinus recorded the first confirmed dolphin encounter using a combination of innovative monitoring sensors, including machine-learning technology that can classifying observations. This has been recognised as a significant achievement for the project and has enabled discussions regarding the future of consenting and monitoring with regulators.<\/p>\n
All the data collected by the MCRP is shared and has contributed significantly to the Crown Estate\u2019s Marine Data Exchange, which adds to the growing evidence base and enables discussions on transferability of data in the UK.<\/p>\n
Helen Roberts, Environment and Compliance Project Manager at Menter M\u00f4n said: \u201cWe are proud that we have been able to bring the Marinus to north Wales and work with respected partners to deliver world leading monitoring technology that may be able to accelerate consenting across the industry in the UK and Globally.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe data we have gathered will help ensure that tidal energy devices within the Morlais zone can be deployed safely. From sonar and acoustic sensors to video and AI-driven monitoring, we have used technology not trialled elsewhere \u2013 and all as part of our commitment to protecting local marine wildlife.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re now focused on the next phase and hope the tools and methodologies used at our site can be adapted for wider use, including in offshore wind and other industries looking to understand and reduce their impact on marine wildlife. We\u2019re looking forward to building on the legacy of this research stage and the work we have done so far.\u201d<\/p>\n
Project partners have included marine technology specialists \u2013 Seiche and MarineSitu, alongside marine contractors Leask, and Francis Marine, who have supported the vessel\u2019s operations.<\/p>\n
Protecting the environment and marine wildlife have been priorities for Menter M\u00f4n Morlais from the beginning. Insights from the MCRP will form a crucial part of this, ensuring tidal energy installations can operate safely within sensitive marine habitats. As research continues, the first tidal devices are expected to be deployed from 2027, when they will begin generating clean electricity from tidal energy off the Ynys M\u00f4n coast.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":3887,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-3886","newyddion","type-newyddion","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mentermon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newyddion\/3886","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mentermon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newyddion"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mentermon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/newyddion"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mentermon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mentermon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}