Suitability for co-location of offshore aquaculture and wave energy in the US Caribbean

Abstract In the United States (US) Caribbean Sea, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (USVI) are planning to transition to renewable energy. Being surrounded by water, the use of marine energy within Puerto Rico and the USVI represents an opportunity to increase renewable energy usage. Marine energy includes wave, tidal, and current energy as well as thermal and salinity gradient energy, and has a large potential to provide reliable and efficient power. While marine energy is usually perceived to bring power to the grid, it can also be used to power activities at sea, particularly offshore aquaculture. In the US Caribbean islands, the development of co-located offshore aquaculture and marine energy could help boost the ocean economy. This study highlights a real-world assessment of the suitability to co-locate offshore integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) and wave energy off Puerto Rico and the USVI. The feasibility for co-location was determined through a spatial analysis to identify suitable areas for co-location, field work to collect environmental data, and a readiness analysis of wave energy devices. Combining key environmental, regulatory, and logistical parameters, the spatial analysis identified potential suitable areas for co-location off the coast in the northwest corner of Puerto Rico, northwest of Culebra, east of Vieques, and north of St. Thomas in the USVI. Wave energy was identified as the most limiting parameter for co-location in the study area. The wave energy data collected were comparable to the model predictions, showing the usefulness of fine-scale environmental conditions from wave models to assess the feasibility for co-location. Through the combination of spatial analysis, environmental monitoring, and information on wave energy device readiness, several key components for the technical feasibility of co-locating offshore IMTA and wave energy have been demonstrated in the US Caribbean islands.