Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC
Potential Tidal Power for New Jersey 2010-15 Sponsored by NJDOT and UTRC Project Report 140-02
Developing a New Jersey Statewide Tidal Energy System: Preliminary Assessment of Sites and Site Factors
Roger Bason Stephen Carnahan Nancy Makofka February 17, 2011 Contact Information: 845-691-4008 (O), rbason@naturalcurrents.com NJDOT 2010-15
Introduction This report presents a preliminary list of potential tidal energy sites in New Jersey. It may be revised as alternative sites are evaluated and compared with advanced computer modeling of New Jersey coastline tidal flows now in progress. The final list will form the basis for a proposed New Jersey Tidal Energy System (TES). This statewide evaluation of tidal energy sites is developed in response to the NJDOT Office of Research RFP 2010-15 that was awarded on May 1, 2010. The project seeks to identify twenty (20) potential tidal energy sites that may provide for economically feasible, fully permitted electric power production using available or soon to be available commercial technology. Under the same research effort, these locations are to be included in a fine mesh, high-resolution supercomputer model of tidal flux along the New Jersey coastline1 to provide additional details to advance site identification for tidal energy projects. Project fieldwork requiring collaboration between Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC (Natural Currents) and the Department of Engineering, CUNY will further validate computer model accuracy, utility and value for replication in other regions.
Mandates. This effort supports the critical goals of both the NJ Energy Master Plan (NJ EMP) and the Global Warming Response Act (GWRA) for NJ to generate 20% or more of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020. Table-1 presents the Potential New Jersey Tidal Energy Sites list that serves as a preliminary offering to be adjusted depending on evolving site development priorities, field test results, computer modeling and other significant factors influencing system installations. In general, this project stage presents potential sites with known higher speed tidal currents located in generally commercial areas including active ports, locations near highway and railroad bridges, canals, tidal inlets, marinas, shoreline private properties and other commercially active waterways. Other factors influencing installation include public acceptance, engineering advances, environmental concerns, stakeholder consensus, and results of detailed site studies as well as regional political and economic factors.
Eco-Exclusion Zones. In addition to the preliminary list of potential tidal energy sites, pristine natural areas or areas that are protected by environmental regulation are also identified. These include areas identified as environmentally sensitive that define ecological exclusion zones (referenced as Eco-Exclusion Zones) that separate priority areas for tidal energy development from sensitive environmental areas. While tidal energy systems are generally regarded as the least environmentally intrusive form of electric power generation, Eco-Exclusion Zones exist due to concerns expressed by regulatory agencies, environmental groups, interested stakeholders or direct legal protection. Tidal energy sites may eventually include some Eco-Exclusion Zones as field evidence providing greater detail on proven effects of tidal turbine operation sheds light on environmental impacts and safety. Protocols for evaluating site-specific impacts include baseline measurements as well as post installation monitoring of 20 different parameters. This Baseline Environmental Monitoring (BEM) plan, vetted by the USACE and NMFS, is summarized in Table-2.
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Tidal Power Value. As the global paradigm for sustainability continues to define our present era, development of ocean related renewable energy systems continues to move to the forefront of discussion, debate and energy planning. A critical point in this discussion is that among all forms of renewable energy including solar and wind power, none are as predictable as the constant and regular movement of the tides and thus the resulting potential production of tidal electric power. Not only are tidal flows predictable; the dispatched power resulting from transforming the tidal flux into electricity provides excellent base load power. This is because peak generation from the changing tidal state hour by hour is sequenced along the length of a regional coastline, providing constant power to the grid.
Statewide System. Design of the future statewide system of tidal energy for New Jersey must include both a technical analysis of feasibility and a method to “ground truth� the high-resolution computer models to be developed by the CUNY Department of Engineering Team during 2011. A Statewide TES also requires the support of significant sectors of communities and stakeholders impacted by these systems through efforts to improve public understanding. Thus public information, popular support and stakeholder consensus are as critical to the overall success of its accomplishment as technology development and tidal modeling. This achievement, once completed, will provide a significant contribution to the legal mandates of the NJ Energy Master Plan and the Global Warming Response Act requiring 20% of all power generation used in New Jersey to come from renewable energy sources.
Preliminary List of Potential NJ Tidal Energy Sites While the general coastline of New Jersey2 is measured as 130 miles (209 km), the length of the actual tidal shoreline is 1,792 miles (2,884 km). The tidal shoreline measured as the shoreline of outer coast, offshore islands, sounds, bays, rivers, and creeks is included to the head of tidewater, or to the point where tidal waters narrow to a width of 100 feet (30.5m). The tidal shoreline as measured in this manner is most representative of the range of potential deployment for both small and large-scale tidal energy technology. An evaluation of the geomorphology of the New Jersey coastline was combined with a review of 2010 tide tables 3, interviews of knowledgeable mariners much experienced traveling these waterways and Acoustic Doppler Profiler (ADP) field measurements to determine this preliminary list of potential tidal sites. Adjustments will be made upon collaboration with the Department of Engineering Team from CUNY and corroboration of the modeling results. This will include targeted ADP field measurements along the New Jersey tidal shoreline at these and other sites that may result in appropriate changes and adjustments in the final list of 20 selected sites.
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Table-1. Potential New Jersey Tidal Energy Sites February 1, 2011 rev. Site # / Name 01-Highlands 02-Belmar
Waterway Shrewsbury River Shark River
Lat / Lon 40.40 – 79.97 40.18 – 74.02
03-Hoffman’s - Brielle Manasquan River 04-Will’s Hole – Manasquan River PPBeach 05-Pt. Pleasant Canal Pt. Pleasant Canal
40.11 – 74.05 40.10 – 74.04
06-Barnegat Light Barnegat Inlet 07-Atlantic CityBeach Thorofare Margate Bridge 08-Egg Harbor Rt. 673 Inter Coastal 09-Sea Isle Rt. 625 Inter Coastal 10-Cape May Rt. 619 Inter Coastal 11-Shawcrest Rt. 47 Inter Coastal 12-Cape May Rt. 621 Inter Coastal 13-USCG Training Inter Coastal Center 14-Cape May Canal Inter Coastal 15-Cape May Canal RR Cape May Canal Bridge 16-Cape May Canal Rt. Cape May Canal 162 17-Port Norris Maurice River 18-Greenwich Pier Cohansey River 19-Hancock Harbor Cohansey River 20-Salem City Salem River
39.76 – 74.10 39.38 – 74.42
40.07 – 74.06
39.29 – 74.56 39.15 – 74.70 39.02 – 74.79 38.98 – 74.83 38.95 – 74.87 38.95 – 74.87 38.95 – 74.90 38.96 – 74.92 38.96 – 74.92 39.23 – 75.00 39.38 – 75.35 39.37 – 75.36 39.58 – 75.48
Comments FERC Permit # 13725 Site at City of Belmar Marina FERC Permit # 13682 FERC Permit # 13247, DPL, WD, SCP NJ Maritime Police Station NJDOT Margate Bridge – Private Owner NJDOT NJDOT NJDOT NJDOT NJDOT USCG Station
Results 2 days data Monmouth data 1 day data 2 days data
NJDOT Short Line Rail Road Bridge NJDOT Municipal Municipal Private Marina FERC Permit # 13849, NJDOT
Comments Legend: FERC Permit – Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Preliminary Permit Application reserves site DPL – Draft Pilot License with FERC, enables power line interconnection and sale of power to grid WD – Waterfront Development permit from NJDEP SCP – Scientific Collecting Permit from both NJDEP and NJ Division of Fish &Wildlife
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Potential Sites. Map-1 identifies potential site locations along the coastline and estuarine rivers of New Jersey. Factors considered in making this evaluation include areas that generally favor a greater industrial or active commercial use. These areas include sites that have relatively short distances to grid interconnections with locations generally less than 500 yards (~450m) from a transformer or power pole connection. The selected sites represent a variety of location characteristics and include ports, areas near highway and railroad bridges, canals, tidal inlets, marinas, shoreline private properties and commercial waterways. Special attention has been paid to sites that may enable the project sponsors, including the NJ Department of Transportation, Office of Research and Office of Maritime Resources to site tidal turbines on properties owned by the State of New Jersey or administered by the NJDOT. Such properties include the NJ Transit railroad bridges, highway bridges and other shoreline areas such as bulkheads, docks or marinas. Other factors influencing tidal system installation include public acceptance, engineering performance, environmental concerns, stakeholder consensus, and results of detailed site investigations as well as political and economic factors.
Map-1. Map of Preliminary List for Potential Tidal Energy Sites in New Jersey
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Eco-Exclusion Zones – Areas Excluded from Tidal Energy Development To streamline and focus the process of site selection for a New Jersey statewide tidal energy system, key site factors must be present at selected locations. First and foremost, the speed of the tidal or related river or canal currents must exceed 4 knots (2m/sec) for a significant portion of the tidal cycle. If the speed of 4 knots (2m/sec) is not reached, then effective tidal energy development is not feasible, given the present state of tidal electric technology development. Technology design innovations may enable a wider range of tidal current speeds for tidal power development at some future date, but as of Q1-2011, a current speed of 2 to 4 m / second is considered an optimal range of water speed for known technologies. Spatial considerations are also a factor for tidal power installation sites. Understanding the size and shape of navigational channels and the flow of tidal currents in and around docks, jetties, bulkheads, bridge footings and other shoreline infrastructure is an important factor. The distance of a potential location for tidal turbine installation to the point of interconnection with the electrical grid is also a determining factor. Power line development has inherent costs for permits, labor, materials and maintenance. Reduced distances to power line connections enable significant savings in both time and cost. Many stakeholders express concerns about the potential environmental impact of tidal electric turbines. While there is much anecdotal evidence that environmental impacts of tidal energy systems are very minimal, proof of minimal impacts is required for widespread acceptance. Federal, state and local level permits now require significant proactive steps to provide baseline monitoring of potential tidal energy impacts at given sites. Natural Currents has completed a rigorous review of the international scientific literature4 to evaluate potential impacts of tidal turbines at proposed locations. After baseline monitoring is completed, ongoing site monitoring is required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a period of up to five (5) years. During this time, reporting is required by FERC with regular review of environmental impacts. Sites that demonstrate adverse environmental impacts may be required to be moved to another location or removed from operation. The Natural Currents Baseline Environmental Monitoring (BEM) Plan has been vetted with and approved by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) during 2010 and Q1-2011. Table-2 presents the Natural Currents’ Baseline Environmental Monitoring Program Summary.
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Table-2. Natural CurrentsĘź Baseline Environmental Monitoring Program Summary Monitoring Parameters, Methods and Materials A. Aquatic Ecology Monitoring A-1. Marine Mammals A-2. Turtles / Seabirds A-3. Threatened and Endangered Species A-4. Migratory and Resident Fish
Methods and Materials Observation Log, Literature, Camera Observation Log, Literature, Camera Observation Log, Literature, Camera Trawl, Fyke or Gill Nets, Minnow Traps, Computer Log, Digital Sonar, UW Video
B. Bathymetry and Benthos B-1. Seabed Characterization B-2. Marine Sediment Analysis B-3. Bathymetric Survey B-4. Diver Benthic Survey C. Water Quality Analysis C-1 to C-7 DO, pH, Turbidity, Salinity, DS, N, P D. Physical Elements D-1. Temperature D-2. Tidal Current Speed, Direction, Depth D-3. Latitude - Longitude E. Noise and EMF E-1. Electro Magnetic Force (EMF) E-2. Noise Summary – Field Computers Data Summary
Ponar Grabs, Camera Lab Grain Size Analysis, Organic Content, Camera Sea Swath Plus 488kHz High-Resolution Sonar and Side Scan Diver and UW Sea Viewer Video DO, pH, Chemical Water Quality Probe Thermometer ADP System (Sontek and or NortekUSA Aquadopp Pro) Geo Positioning System (GPS) Gauss Meter, Micro Volt Meter Marine Hydro Phones Computer Tablets and Communications Devices
The monitoring process for site-specific evaluation of potential tidal energy sites is described in Table-2. These factors identify pre- and post-installation impacts in areas immediately adjacent (within 100m) to potential site locations. To enable a more general view of Eco-Zones that exclude broad areas of the tidal shoreline from potential tidal energy site locations Table-3 and Map-2 to Map-6 are presented. These include zones in New Jersey that are considered pristine natural areas or have a particularly sensitive ecology. These Eco-Exclusion Zones consist of wild and scenic rivers, pristine areas, areas protected by legal mandates, and scenic protected (SPW) waters.
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Table-3. Eco-Exclusion Zones - Tidal Energy Sites due to Environmental Sensitivity February 1, 2011 rev. Site # / Name A Delaware Water Gap Nat’l Recreation Area B New Jersey Pinelands National Reserves (Wharton State Forest) C Maurice River, NJ D Manumuskin River Preserve E Wallkill River N.W.R. F Musconetcong State Park G Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge H Great Egg Harbor River, NJ
Waterway Delaware Water Gap Batsto River Mullica River
Lat / Lon Comments – County / Location 41 07’ 24” N Sussex and Warren County, NJ 74 54’ 57” W 39 42’ 47” N Burlington, Ocean, Atlantic, Camden, Camden, 74 43’ 24” W Cape May, Cumberland, and Glouster County, NJ
Maurice River
39 18’ 15” N 74 56’ 39 W 39 18’ 34” N 74 59’ 28” W 41 07’ 10” N 74 36’ 26” W 40 36’ 53” N 75 09’ 06” W 39 03’ 05” N 75 16’ 39” W
Manumuskin River Wallkill River Musconetcong River Delaware Bay
Great Egg Har- 39 37’ 25” N bor 75 15’ 46” W
Cape May and Cumberland County, NJ Cumberland County,NJ Sussex County, NJ Sussex County, NJ Kent County, DE Camden
The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by Congress in 1968 (Public Law 90-542; 16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations. The Act is notable for safeguarding the special character of these rivers, while also recognizing the potential for their appropriate use and development. It encourages river management that crosses political boundaries and promotes public participation in developing goals for river protection. Listed in Table-3 with locations identified in Map-2 are Wild and Scenic Rivers in New Jersey. These areas are excluded from the list of preliminary tidal energy site locations.
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Map-2. Eco-Exclusion Zones – Tidal Energy Sites due to Environmental Sensitivity
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Map-3. Eco-Exclusion Zone - Pinelands Protection Act Areas
Efforts by concerned citizens, scientists and political leaders led the US Congress to pass ยง 502 of the federal National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 and New Jersey to pass the Pinelands Protection Act of 1979. These laws created the Pinelands National Reserve and the New Jersey Pinelands Commission. Adopted by the Pinelands Commission in 1980, the Comprehensive Management Plan regulates where development can take place by creating conservation and growth zones and applying stringent environmental standards. These areas are excluded from the preliminary list of potential tidal energy sites in New Jersey.
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Map-4. Eco-Exclusion Zone – Critical Environmental and Historic Sites (CEHS)
The CEHS file was created to help implement the goals of the New Jersey State Plan. To protect and manage the state's large areas of natural and environmentally significant resources, the State Plan Policy Map relies on the Environmentally Sensitive/Rural Planning Area and the Environmentally Sensitive Planning Area to direct development into Centers. But there are many environmentally sensitive features and landscapes of historic or aesthetic significance that are less than one square mile in extent or whose configuration does not readily permit application of the Policy Objectives of these Planning Areas. Additionally, many sites of historic, cultural, scenic or environmental sensitivity lie within developed areas or within Metropolitan, Suburban or Fringe Planning Areas. The Critical Environmental Sites (CES) and Historic and Cultural Sites (HCS) designations are used to help organize planning for new development or redevelopment by singling out the elements of natural systems, small areas of habitat, historic sites, and other features that should continue to be expressed in the future landscape through protection and restoration. The proposed preliminary list of tidal energy sites does not include any area on the CEHS List.
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Map-5. Eco-Exclusion Zone – NJ Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act Areas
The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, N.J.S.A. 13:20-1 et seq. protects drinking water for over 5.4 million people and helps preserve New Jersey's dwindling open space. Mapped areas provide information to assist homeowners, property owners, builders, and municipalities in determining if a project is located in the Highlands Region, what exemption criteria may apply, and development standards that may be required. The Highlands rules implement the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act signed on August 10, 2004. The rules incorporate the requisite standards of various land use, water resource and environmental protection statutes and establish a consolidated Highlands permitting review and approval process for activities constituting major projects. The proposed preliminary tidal energy sites are not included in this mandated protection area.
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Map-6. Eco-Exclusion Zone - NJ Meadowlands Development Commission New Jersey Meadowlands Commission Zoning Map
Hackensack Meadowlands District ZONES AVIATION FACILITIES (AF) COMMERCIAL PARK (CP) ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION (EC) HEAVY INDUSTRIAL (HI)
Teterboro
INSET A
HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL (HC) INTERMODAL A (IA)
RA-1
Ridgefield
Little Ferry
INTERMODAL B (IB) LIGHT INDUSTRIAL A (LI-A) LIGHT INDUSTRIAL B (LI-B) LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (LDR)
South Hackensack
Moonachie
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL (NC) PARKS AND RECREATION (PA) PLANNED RESIDENTIAL (PR)
Carlstadt
PUBLIC UTILITIES (PU)
North Bergen
RA-2
REGIONAL COMMERCIAL (RC) SPORTS & EXPOSITION (SE) TRANSPORTATION CENTER (TC)
East Rutherford
WATERFRONT RECREATION (WR)
RA-3 REDEVELOPMENT AREA (RA) RA-1 VINCENT PLACE RA-2 PATERSON PLANK ROAD RA-3 HIGHLAND CROSS RA-4 GOLF COURSE RA-5 BELLEVILLE TURNPIKE RA-6 KEARNY RA-7 TRANSIT VILLAGE RA-8 16TH STREET RA-9 LYNDHURST BLOCK 228, LOT 3 RA-10 ROUTE 3 EAST
RA-9
Rutherford
RA-10
INSET B
RIGHTS OF WAY
Lyndhurst Secaucus
WATER
RA-4
ROADS, RAILROADS, TRANSMISSION LINES, ETC.
BLOCK LIMIT LINE LOT LIMIT LINE
RA-8
North Arlington
NJMC DISTRICT BOUNDARY
INSET C
INSET OF NEW JERSEY
RA-7
Jersey City
Hackensack Meadowlands District
RA-5 Kearny
DISTRICT LOCATION MAP
Notes: This map is an excerpt of the zoning map of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC). For verification of actual zoning designations, it may be necessary to refer to the original of this map, which is on display in the Office of the NJMC.
INSET D
Parcel configurations on this map reflect lot lines taken from municipal tax maps. Some areas may not show current subdivisions. For further information, please contact the NJMC.
New Jersey Meadowlands Commission Geographic Information Systems
RA-6
!
SCALE 1" = 4000'
INSET A
New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
1 DeKorte Park Plaza
INSET D
INSET C
INSET B
Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
Phone: (201) 460-1700
Fax: (201) 372-0161
Website: www.njmeadowlands.gov
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission is the zoning and planning agency for a 30.4-square-mile area along the Hackensack River covering parts of 14 municipalities in Bergen and Hudson Counties in New Jersey. The Hackensack Meadowlands Reclamation and Development Act (N.J.S.A. 13:17-1 et seq), effective Jan. 13, 1969, recognizes the importance of the Meadowlands as a unique place for new jobs, thriving communities and recreational opportunities in New Jersey. The Act created the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission (HMDC). The agency was renamed the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission on Aug.
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27, 2001. None of the preliminary list of potential tidal energy sites are located within the jurisdiction of the NJ Meadowlands Commission. Further research and site evaluations will be performed that may indicate potential sites along the Passaic and Hackenasack Rivers that are know to have strong river and or tidal currents. This area is particularly industrial in its nature and may have sites along the river marinas, docks and bulkheads. Most of the legal mandates concern zoning regulations.
Public Support and Stakeholder Outreach The development of a New Jersey Statewide Tidal Energy System requires the support of significant sectors of communities and stakeholders . This support is best built through efforts to improve public understanding and stakeholder outreach. Thus public information, popular support and stakeholder consensus are as critical to the development and overall success of a Statewide TES as technology development and tidal modeling. Table-4 presents stakeholder groups in five areas of interest, and includes (1) Regulatory and Related Agencies, (2) State and National Environmental Groups, (3) Local Environmental Groups, (4) Governmental and Educational Resources, and (5) New Jersey Media. Project goals, progress and findings will be shared with all of these stakeholders during the course of 2011.
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Table-4 New Jersey Stakeholders and Public Support Resources Group
Contact
Email / Phone
1-State and National Environmental Groups 1.1-New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium Dr. Peter Rowan, Sandy Hook, NJ www.njmsc.org, 732-872-1300 1.2-Institute for Energy and Environ- Dr. Arjun Makhijani, Takoma Park, MD www.ieer.org, mental Research 1.3-Natural Resources Defense Council Robert Kennedy, Jr. NYC, NY www.nrdc.org, 212-727-2700 1.4-Nature Conservancy
Main Office, Arlington, VA
www.nature.org, 703-841-5300
1.5-New Jersey Environmental Lobby Main Office, Trenton, NJ
www.njenvironment.org,
1.6-Sierra Club Dick Colby, Newsletter, Trenton, NJ 1.7-NJ Public Interest Group (NJ-PIRG) Student Chapters Main Office 2-Regulatory and Related Agencies
www.newjersey.sierraclub.org, www.njpirgstudents.org, 732-247-8177
2.1-Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 2.2-US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 2.3-National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 2.4-US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 2.5-NJ Dept of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) 2.6-NJ State Plan 3-Local Environmental Groups
Sec Kim Bose, Washington, DC
www.ferc.gov, 202-502-6652
3.1-Alliance for a Living Ocean 3.2- American Littoral Society 3.3-Clean Ocean Action
Main Office, Ship Bottom, NJ Main Office, Highlands, NJ Main Office, Highlands, NJ
3.4-Jersey Coast Anglers Association
Main Office, Toms River, NJ
Sam Reynolds, USACE-Philadelphia, www.usace.mil, 215-656-5715 PA Karen Green, NMFS, Sandy Hook, NJ www.nmfs.gov, 732-872-3023 US EPA Region 2 Office, NYC, NY
www.epa.gov,
Bob Martin, Commissioner, Trenton, NJ www.njdep.gov, NJ State Plan, Dept Community Affairs www.state.nj.us/dca, www.livingocean.org, 609-494-7800 www.littoralsociety.org, 732-291-0055 www.cleanoceanaction.org 732-8720111 www.jcaa.org, 732-506-6565
3.5-Barnegat Bay Watershed and Estu- Main Office, Island Heights, NJ www.bbwef.org, ary Program 4-Governmental and Educational Resources 4.1-Rutgers Institute of Marine and Main Office, New Brunswick, NJ www.imcs.edu, 732-932-6555 Coastal Sciences 4.2-Monmouth Urban Coast Institute Jim Nickles, UCI, West Long Branch, www.monmouth.edu, NJ 4.3-House Subcom for Fisheries, Wild- Frank Pallone, US Congress, Wash, DCwww.naturalresources.house.gov, life, Oceans 5-New Jersey Media 5.1-Asbury Park Press
Bill Zapcic, Copy Desk X - 4203
bzapcic@njpressmedia.com,
5.2-Ocean County Observer
Weekly News.
www.nj.com, 732-349-3000
5.3-Times Beacon Newspapers 5.4-Environmental News Network
NJ Press Association, Toms River editor@enn.com,
www.timesbeacon.com, www.enn.com
5.5-New Jersey Network News
News Desk
www.njn.net/news,
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Summary A preliminary list of potential tidal energy sites is presented that is consistent with the project goal of identifying specific areas for power generation from near shore and estuarine tidal flux. Adjustments of this preliminary site list will reflect comparisons to findings of CUNY computer modeling developed throughout 2011. A reasonable list is presented based on information available from tidal tables, ADP field measurements, past research, geomorphology analysis of coastal structures and expert knowledge of NJ waterways. A catalogue5 of New Jersey Tidal Energy Sites is in development to assemble detailed data for each site evaluated. Special focus on NJDOT-related site locations now identify 10 potential sites owned by the state of New Jersey. While tidal sites favorable to energy generation are identified, exclusion zones that include pristine areas are also presented as Eco-Exclusion Zones. These are areas known to have sensitive ecological status or protected areas and are excluded from site analysis activities at this time. A site specific set of 20 field parameters provides a Baseline Environmental Monitoring protocol that has been approved by the USACE and NMFS for initial site development pre- and post-installation monitoring. A future network of tidal energy sites capable of broad generation of base load renewable electric power is possible on a statewide basis in New Jersey. This development is critically dependent on stakeholder support and resource agency approval, as well as technical feasibility and effective site selection. State and national organizations and agencies are therefore identified as avenues for outreach and public information concerning the project goals, objectives, progress and findings. Critical issues will be identified and operational impacts of tidal energy systems will be made clear through various media and organizational sources. The first tidal site installation is undergoing the final stages of permitting required by the USACE and FERC. Installation is projected for early 2012.
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1
Tang, Hansong, w. Cheng, S. Kraatz. Coarse mesh estimate and fine mesh for high-resolution modeling of
tidal energy along the NJ coastlines. Quarterly Project Summary. January 8, 2011.
2
US Department of Commerce. NOAA. National Ocean Service. Coastal Survey. 1940.
3
White, Robert Eldridge, L.F. White. Tide and Pilot Book – 2010. Medfield, MA. 2009.
4
Bason, Roger. H. Tang. Literature Survey: Tidal Energy Power Generation – History and Current Status.
Quarterly Project Summary. September 27, 2010.
5
Bason, Roger. Natural Currents Catalogue of New Jersey Tidal Energy Sites. Power Point Presentation and
Report. 2011
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