Marine renewable energy is gaining increased interest as an area of new developments, but little is known about its potential environmental and social impacts caused to the marine environment and the surrounding communities. While previous research around the latter focused more on offshore wind and wave technologies, there remains a gap in understanding environmental and social impacts for tidal energy and the interlinkages between them, knowing its diverse technological designs and device configuration. The associated implications on natural habitats are also uncertain. This paper fills this gap by conducting a systematic review of the environmental and social impacts of tidal energy development using Scopus and Web of Science databases, without putting any limitations on the technology used or the geographical area of study. A total of 85 peer-reviewed articles were considered and were complemented with grey literature. Overall, the review argues that potential environmental and social impacts of tidal energy projects cannot be tackled in silos as they are often interlinked. They are also location and technology-specific and vary depending on the technology used as well as the marine context in which they are present. They are influenced by the type and number of turbines, its operational characteristics, the energy extracted and the surrounding habitats. This creates uncertainty for planners, developers and communities due to their complex and interchangeable potential environmental impacts. More clarity should be provided through ecosystem-based marine planning, enhanced community awareness and more funding for research. Lessons should also be drawn from onshore and offshore wind experience.
Ayoub et al. (Fri,) studied this question.