The Crown Estate has published a new framework and data transferability matrix to support the smarter and more efficient use of existing data in tidal stream energy projects.
The data transferability matrix was developed in collaboration with ABPmer, and is designed to help regulators and developers identify where environmental data, particularly related to marine mammal collision risk, can be reused across projects. It also highlights where additional data collection may be needed and where new scientific evidence could enhance a project’s evidence base.
This initiative follows a recognised need to make data from already consented tidal stream projects more readily available and, where appropriate, transferable to new or ongoing projects. By pinpointing where scientific uncertainty can be minimised, the framework aims to focus monitoring efforts on closing key evidence gaps.
Instead of treating data as either transferable or not, the matrix enables users to assess transferability on a spectrum, allowing for collaborative evaluation between regulators and developers, even when data scores lower on immediate applicability.
Applicable to a wide range of marine mammal monitoring techniques (including hydrophones, sonar, underwater cameras, drones, and GPS tagging), the matrix can be used to assess collision risk, design post-installation monitoring programmes, and in some cases, apply findings from one site to another to reduce consenting risks.
Importantly, the matrix aligns with the objectives of the Marine Delivery Routemap by increasing confidence in environmental consenting data, which supports the future rollout of tidal leasing.
This framework marks a significant step forward in advancing environmental data practices across the tidal stream sector.