Ireland and the UK possess vast ocean energy resources within their respective maritime areas. However, not all offshore areas are suitable for deployment of ocean energy devices. This article describes the development of a multitude of geospatial data relating to ocean energy site suitability, as well as a Web-GIS tool for hosting and performing analysis on this data. A validation of wave, water depth and seabed character data used in the study revealed good correlation between modelled and in situ data. The data is mapped, and the spatial patterns are discussed with relevance to ORE sector implications. A site selection model, which included much of this data, was developed for this study and the Web-GIS tool. A survey conducted with ocean energy technology developers revealed their desired site criteria. The responses were applied in a case study using the site selection model to uncover potential and optimum areas for deployment of both wave and tidal energy devices. The results reveal extensive areas of the Atlantic Ocean and Celtic Sea appropriate for wave energy deployment and less extensive areas for tidal energy deployment, in the Irish Sea and Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland.
With increasing urban expansion and population growth, coastal urban areas will be increasingly affected by climate change impacts such as extreme storm events, sea level rise and coastal flooding. To address coastal inundation risk for impact studies, integrated approaches accounting for flood hazard modelling, exposure and vulnerability of human and environmental systems are crucial. In this study, we model the impacts of sea level rise on coastal inundation depth for County Dublin, the most extensively urbanized area in Ireland, for the current period and for 2100 under two Representative Concentration Pathways RCP 4.5 and 8.5. A risk-centred approach has been considered by linking the information on coastal flood-prone areas to the exposure of the urban environment, in terms of potential future land cover changes, and to the socioeconomic vulnerability of the population. The results suggest significant challenges for Dublin city and the surrounding coastal areas, with an increase of around 26% and 67% in the number of administrative units considered at very high risk by the end of the century under a RCP 4.5 and 8.5, respectively. This study aims to contribute to existing coastal inundation research undertaken for Ireland by (i) providing a first-level screening of flooding hazards in the study area, (ii) demonstrating how land cover changes and socioeconomic vulnerability can contribute to the level of experienced risk and (iii) informing local authorities and at-risk communities so as to support them in the development of plans for adaptation and resilience.
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