erielements Autumn 2014

environmental

research

institute

Celebrating student success

The hard work and ground-breaking achievements of two ERI students were recognised recently at the UHI - North Highland College (NHC) Academic Awards Ceremony which was held in Dornoch Cathedral.

Neil Finch is the first student to graduate with an MSc in Sustainable Energy Solutions. The programme led by ERI’s Dr Kenny Boyd is taught on-line by recognised experts, co-vers the field of renewable energy and provides the knowledge and skills required by those interested in manag-ing renewable developments. Neil’s thesis, which was praised by the external examiners, investigated the practicalities and attitudes associated with retro-fitting ground source heat pumps in the Highlands. Working full-time with 202 Search and Rescue Helicopter Squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth, Neil graduated with Distinction – a great achievement. At the Awards Ceremony, Neil gave the postgraduate ad-dress. He highlighted the quality of the course and the fact that it had allowed him to remain in full-time employment whilst studying. He is now contemplating a PhD to explore the effectiveness of ‘super-national’ organisations in reduc-ing greenhouse gas emissions. At the same event, Joss Ratcliffe was awarded NHC’s Post-graduate Student of the Year (2013/14) for Exceptional Aca-demic Achievement, producing consistently high-quality work and making excellent progress.

Joss has been undertaking an MSc by Research under the supervision of Dr Roxane Andersen. During his programme of research, Joss undertook field work; learned new tech-niques in laboratories in Thurso, Stirling, Aberdeen and Ed-inburgh and produced and analysed an exceptional dataset.

On top of this, Joss travelled to Siberia through the INTER-ACT-TA European programme and also won the Alfred-Toepfer-Scholarship 2014 awarded by the EUROPARC Fed-eration council. This scholarship will enable Joss to travel to Finland in September 2015 to visit the Metsähallitus Natural Heritage Park.

For further information contact kenneth.boyd@uhi.ac.uk

Neil Finch giving the postgraduate student address

Joss receiving his award from principle Donald MacBeath

European countries exposed to the North Atlantic Ocean have some of the best wave and tidal re-sources in the world. As lead on TURNKEY (transforming underutilised renewable natural resource into key energy yields) project, the ERI is working with partners in Spain, France and Portugal to deliver research to help accelerate renewable energy development. This €2 million initiative is co-financed by the European Re-gional Development Fund - Atlantic Area Transnational Programme.

High energy sites pose challenges for the installation of renewable devices. A key component of TURNKEY is the investiga-tion into the use of novel technology to collect oceanographic data from difficult locations - in effect, to test device monitor-ing in sites which are too remote for con-ventional methods.

Following detailed mission planning the ERI took delivery in September of an SV3 Wave Glider - a multi-sensor platform with autonomous navigation capability and a flexible array of sensors. The Wave Glider is self- powered to allow remote deploy-ment using, in this instance, solar power (for sensors) and wave propulsion to move the platform.

A successful training event was held prior to the launch so that partners would have

a better understanding of the device and its functionality. Representatives from EIGSI in France, IST in Portugal and CETMAR in Spain travelled to Thurso to learn how to navigate the device over deployments lasting a number of weeks.

The Wave Glider was fitted with a variety of sensors with capability for on-board processing of data, as well as satellite telemetry to capture data which could be compared with that collected by wave buoys and ADCP already deployed in the locality. This mission was specifically devised to coincide with satellite over-passes, the first of which generated some interesting data.

The potential to replace numerous scientific instruments, which are routinely deployed in the marine envi-ronment to collect background data, with a single cost-effective sensor platform is extremely exciting. How-ever, testing such technology in the far north of Scotland is not without challenge e.g. ensuring sufficient solar energy to power the sensors. The platform carried shipping safety aids, strobe light and radar target enhancers, and prior notice of deployment was given as required through marine channels.

The Wave Glider will be launched on two other missions in Spring 2015 as part of TURNKEY project: an-other off the north of Scotland and one off the coast of Portugal. The team are anticipating some interest-ing times ahead!

For further information contact jason.mcIlvenny@uhi.ac.uk

TURNKEY –Investigating autonomous

multi-sensor platforms

TURNKEY partners prepare to launch the wave glider in Thurso Bay

Monitoring salmonids in the Moray Firth

The Pentland Salmon Initiative (PSI) was recently established by the ERI to provide a scientific forum for researchers, managers, developers, regulators and other stakeholders to advance understanding of migra-tory salmonids in the coastal waters around northern Scotland.

Supported through the TURNKEY project (see previous page), a PSI workshop was organised in Thurso by the ERI to consider requirements for monitoring salmon and sea trout populations associated with marine renewables development in the Moray and Pentland Firths. Participants included representatives from Dis-trict Salmon Fishery Boards and Trusts; The Crown Estate; renewables developers and Marine Scotland Science. The meeting was opened by Professor Stuart Gibb whilst Professor Tony Hawkins chaired pro-ceedings. Alan Youngson presented a specially-compiled paper as a basis for discussion.

Participants reviewed current monitoring arrangements and explored ways of upgrading regional monitoring capacity. This led to wide-ranging discussions on the scope and quality of the monitoring data required by different users. It was concluded that monitoring is needed for a variety of purposes including:

• To provide information for managers, anglers and river proprietors on the current state of the fisheries • To allow the Scottish Government and SNH to assess the status of salmon and sea trout stocks and monitor Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) designated for salmon • To assess the impact of external developments, including renewable energy developments

The need for baseline information on salmonid populations to be established prior to commencement of marine renewables projects was highlighted, as was concern about the capacity to monitor future stocks in a cost effective, collaborative and co-ordinated manner.

Ideas generated during the meeting have since allowed ERI to progress a feasibility study to determine the migratory routes of salmon in key coastal areas. This study will explore survival, migratory behaviour and movements in the early stages of ma-rine migration from the rivers of Caithness and Sutherland. Initially, work will be con-

ducted at Berriedale and Langwell Waters which are designated for Atlantic salmon.

For further information contact jeremy.evans@uhi.ac.uk

Green light for ‘Oceanflux Evolution’

Following the success of the ‘Oceanflux Greenhouse Gases’ project which was funded by the European Space Agency, the green light has been given for a follow-up project - Oceanflux Evolution. This will enable ERI’s Dr Lonneke Goddijn-Murphy to renew collaboration with researchers at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Heriot Watt University, University of Exeter, IFREMER in France, and the Institute of Oceanography of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Poland on the study of air-sea exchanges of greenhouse gases.

Such air-sea exchanges are of major importance in the climate system but there are still large uncertainties in the flux calculations. ‘Oceanflux Evolution’ aims to develop new products combining field data, satellite observation, and models. The main scientific challenges concern the rate at which gasses pass through the surface (the air-sea gas transfer velocity) and the impact on air-sea gas fluxes of biological slicks, rainfall, sea surface temperature and salinity. In collaboration with the Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) commu-nity, gas fluxes of CO2 and other greenhouse gases will be studied on a glob-al scale.

For further information contact lonneke.goddijn-murphy@uhi.ac.uk

Tales from Siberia

In August, two groups of ERI researchers based themselves at Yugra State University research stations near Khanty-Mansiysk, Western Siberia to explore some of the largest peatlands in the world. Estab-lished in 2001, this is one of the youngest state universities in Russia so shares many similarities with the University of the Highlands and Islands. The field stations, Mukhrino and Numto, house amazing fa-cilities in which to conduct research in a very remote part of the world. The first group, comprising Dr Roxane Andersen, Dr Mark Taggart and Paul Gaffney, travelled to study “Dissolved and Volatile Organic Carbon Compounds in Arctic Peatlands” and were based at Mukhrino and then further north at Numto. The researchers deployed passive samplers to measure emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) from different plant communities and also collected plants and water for chemical analyses, and peat for a Global Peatland Genome project led by US colleagues. The second group, Joss Ratcliffe (MSc student), TCV apprentice Angela Creevy and Joss’ co-supervisor Dr Richard Payne (University of Stirling) spent a week at Mukhrino investigating the transition between open bog and ryam (natural forested bog). They collected data and samples from five transects, includ-ing on plants, water, peat cores and testate amoeba (a group of micro-organisms). The trip, funded through the EU International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arc-tic (INTERACT) trans-national access programme, was extremely successful in terms of its research aims and all returned with good memories and plenty of new ideas. In addition to field work, there was also (some!) time to experience Siberia’s cultures and traditions, including the much loved “banya” (dry sauna) and a little vodka!

ERI now hope to develop more joint projects and a strong collaboration with the Environmental Dynam-ics and Global Climate Change centre at Yugra State University (led by Dr Elena Lapshina).

For further information contact roxane.andersen@uhi.ac.uk

Top left to bottom right: Group at Mukhrino; Paul measuring pH; Mark collecting samples; Roxane and Angela ex-tracting testate amoeba from Sphagnum and Roxane collecting pore water methane

BioPAD

Dr Neil James and Dr Kenny Boyd have now completed a Northern Periphery Programme funded project aimed at developing products and services to stimulate the use of bioenergy in northern Europe. Bio-PAD (Bioenergy Proliferation and Deployment) involved partners in Ireland (Western Development Commission), Northern Ireland (Action Renewables) and Finland (Metla) as well as the ERI. Areas of northern Europe face significant challenges in developing cost-effective and sustainable supply chains for biomass resources. BioPAD developed a range of products and services to overcome bar-riers to development. This included addressing issues affecting suppli-ers, support services and users. The project investigated the current status of supply chains for a range of biomass types including wood products, energy crops and agricul-tural wastes. From this, an online tool (BISCUIT) was developed which provides access to expert information on bioenergy supply chains. The tool is available on BioPAD website and to download as an App.

Case studies focussed on businesses experiencing obstacles to growth along the supply chain, illustrat-ing common issues for different fuel types and different conversion methods. Each business received advice from bioenergy experts on options for overcoming their difficulties. Examples of good practise were also prepared using exemplary supply chains for different technologies and biomass fuel types. The project had a strong focus on policy development and the identification of business opportunities. During study tours to Güssing in Austria, and Western Karelia (Finland), end users and policy makers from partner countries were introduced to new developments in the bioenergy sector. The use of dissem-ination events, social media and workshops contributed to the development of a strong network of inter-ested parties which has helped to influence bioenergy policy and encourage new business. The ERI was also involved in assessing greenhouse gas emissions from biomass supply chains (which were incorporated into BISCUIT); in the assessment of emissions from the transport of biomass (including the heating system at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI) and in the assessment of emerging supply chains such as those for macro algae. For further information contact kenneth.boyd@uhi.ac.uk and www.biopad.eu.

Joining ERI

Case study in Güssing, Austria

Diego del Villar-Guerra, Post-Doctoral Research Associate Funded through TURNKEY project, my research focusses on the potential impacts of marine renewables developments on fish, specifically using electronic devices (fish tags and receivers) to quantify migratory behaviour and spatial / temporal pat-terns of habitat use in areas where offshore renewable developments will be imple-mented in the Pentland and Moray Firth. This research will also contribute to the Pentland Salmon Initiative. For further information contact diego.delvillar@uhi.ac.uk

Renewing links with the Czech Republic

Recent publications

Environmental Research Institute

Castle Street, Thurso,

Caithness, KW14 7JD, Scotland

Tel: +44 (0) 1847 889589

Fax: +44 (0) 1847 890014

Email: eri-info@thurso.uhi.ac.uk

Centre for Energy & Environment,

North Highland College UHI, Thurso,

Caithness, KW14 7EE, Scotland

Tel: +44 (0) 1847 889000

Fax: +44 (0) 1847 889001

Web: www.eri.ac.uk

Building on the strong partnership established over recent years, Prof Stuart Gibb, ERI and Dr Josef Caslavsky of Brno University of Technology recently signed a new three year Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate student mobility be-tween both institutes and develop new collaborations between researchers. Jana Oborna, PhD student Arriving at the ERI in September, Jana is the first student to come to the ERI from Brno University under this new agreement. Jana will undertake a traineeship fund-ed by Erasmus+ and will continue her research under the supervision of Dr Mark Taggart. Jana plans to research the characterisation of drug release from biomaterials based on aliphatic polyesters. Biomaterials used in this study are tri-block copoly-mers based on polylactide, polyglycolide and polyethylene glycol. The appeal of these resorbable copolymers (smart copolymers) lies in their ability to change their physical-mechanical properties (swelling and shrinking) in response to external stimuli, for example temperature or pH. This enables them to be utilised in applica-tions such as drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, and orthopaedics. Jana will monitor the release of drugs with different lipophilicity from these copoly-mers and also the disintegration of the copolymers in conditions analogous to the human body (temperature and pH). The traineeship at the ERI will allow Jana to further her knowledge of analytical separation methods. For further information contact stuart.gibb@uhi.ac.uk or mark.taggart@uhi.ac.uk

Artz, R.R.E., Donnelly, D., Andersen, R., Mitchell, R., Chapman, S.J., Smith, J., Smith, P., Cummins, R., Balana, B. and Cuthbert, A. (2014) Managing and restoring blanket bog to benefit biodiversity and carbon balance—a scoping study. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report 562 Goddijn-Murphy, L. M., Woolf, D.K., Land, P.E., Shutler, J.D. and Donlon, C. (2014). “Deriving a sea sur-face climatology of CO2 fugacity in support of air-sea gas flux studies.” Ocean Sci. Discuss., 11, 1895-1948, doi:10.5194/osd-11-1895-2014 Masden, E. A., McCluskie, A., Owen, E. and Langston, R. H. W. (2014). Renewable energy developments in an uncertain world: the case of offshore wind and birds in the UK. Marine Policy, 51, 169-172. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2014.08.006 Wade, H. M., Masden, E. A., Jackson, A.C., Thaxter, C.B., Burton, N.H.K., Bouten, W. and Furness, R.W. (2014). Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) movements at sea in relation to marine renewable energy develop-ments. Marine Environmental Research, 101, 69-80. dpoi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2014.09.003