Consenting process for ocean energy in Spain.

This presentation discusses the current consenting processes for offshore renewable energy projects in Spain. It was given as part of the second RiCORE project workshop, which explored the regulatory aspects associated with marine renewable energy projects in Member States of the EU

Evaluación de la toxicidad de fitoplancton marino mediante la aplicación de bioensayos con invertebrados marinos

The dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum and the haptophyte Prymnesium parvum are well known for their toxin production and negative effects in marine coastal environments. A. minutum produces toxins which cause paralytic shellfish poisoning in humans and can affect copepods, shellfish and other marine organisms. Toxins of P. parvum are associated with massive fish mortalities resulting in negative impacts on the marine ecosystem and large economic losses in commercial aquaculture. The aim of this work is to improve our knowledge about the reliability of the use of marine invertebrate bioassays to detect microalgae toxicity, by performing: (i) a 24- to 48-h test with the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana; (ii) a 48-hour embryo-larval toxicity test with the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus; and (iii) a 72-h test with the amphipod Corophium multisetosum. The results indicate that A. franciscana and P. lividus larvae are sensitive to the toxicity of A. minutum and P. parvum. LC50 comparison analysis between the tested organisms reveals that A. franciscana is the most sensitive organism for A. minutum. These findings suggest that the use of different organizational biological level bioassays appears to be a suitable tool for A. minutum and P. parvum toxicity assessment.Las microalgas Alexandrium minutum y Prymnesium parvum son bien conocidas por la producción de toxinas y sus efectos negativos en nuestras costas. A. minutum produce la toxina PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) que afecta a humanos y una gran variedad de organismos marinos como copépodos y marisco. Las toxinas de P. parvum producen grandes mortalidades de peces ocasionando graves impactos negativos en el ecosistema marino e importantes pérdidas económicas en acuicultura. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo mejorar el conocimiento del uso de bioensayos con invertebrados marinos en la detección de la toxicidad de microalgas, mediante: (i) un test de 24-48 horas con Artemia franciscana; (ii) un test de 48 horas con embriones y larvas del erizo de mar Paracentrotus lividus; y (iii) un test de 72 horas con el anfípodo Corophium multisetosum. Los resultados muestran que las larvas de A. franciscana y P. lividus son sensibles a la toxicidad de A. minutum y P. parvum. Los análisis LC50 revelan que A. franciscana es el organismo más sensible a A. minutum. Estos resultados indican que los bioensayos con diferentes niveles de organización biológica parecen ser una herramienta apropiada para la evaluación de la toxicidad de A. minutum y P. parvum

Experiencia española en el proyecto Go-Lab

El proyecto Go-Lab está financiado dentro del Programa FP7 de la Unión Europea y su principal objetivo es fomentar el área STEM en alumnos jóvenes preuniversitarios. Cuenta con una veintena de socios de más de 15 países y se articula en tres grandes ejes: pedagogía, tecnología y despliegue en centros educativos. Pedagógicamente se basa en el aprendizaje por indagación (Inquiry Based Learning [IBL]), aspecto que desarrolla utilizando laboratorios en línea, ya sean virtuales o remotos, para obtener el mayor efecto en profesores y alumnos de secundaria y bachiller. La aportación española ha sido la más relevante en lo que se refiere al despliegue del ecosistema Go-Lab en colegios, puesto que supone cerca de un 25% del total de profesores que lo desarrollan y lo implementan en sus centros de enseñanza. Go-Lab se ha extendido a un total de 281 escuelas españolas. Se ha observado que las aplicaciones de dicho ecosistema facilitan la experiencia necesaria a los alumnos, de manera que estos puedan ser protagonistas de su aprendizaje desde un rol creador e investigador, lo que promueve el acercamiento juvenil a las disciplinas STEM.El projecte Go-Lab està finançat dins del Programa FP7 de la Unió Europea i el principal objectiu que persegueix és el de fomentar l'àrea STEM en alumnes joves preuniversitaris.En formen part una vintena de socis de més de 15 països i s'articula en tres grans eixos: pedagogia, tecnologia i desplegament en centres educatius. Pedagògicament es basa en l'aprenentatge per investigació (Inquiry Based Learning [IBL]), aspecte que es desenvolupa utilitzant laboratoris en línia, ja siguin virtuals o remots, per obtenir l'efecte més gran possible en professors i alumnes de secundària i de batxillerat. L'article descriu aquests tres aspectes, fent un èmfasi especial en el procés de desplegament a Espanya i en els resultats que s'hi han obtingut. La contribució espanyola ha estat la més rellevant en referència al desenvolupament de l'ecosistema Go-Lab a les escoles, ja que representa prop del 25% del total de professors que el desenvolupen i que l'implementen als seus centres docents.Go-Lab s'ha estès a un total de 281 escoles espanyoles. S'ha observat que les aplicacions d'aquest ecosistema proporcionen l'experiència necessària als estudiants, perquè puguin ser protagonistes del seu aprenentatge des d'un paper creatiu i investigador, la qual cosa promou l'aproximació juvenil a les disciplines STEM.Go-Lab is a project funded by the European Union FP7 programme to promote STEM education in pre-university students. The project includes about 20 members from more than 15 different countries and is constructed around three central ideas: pedagogy, technology and deployment in schools. Pedagogically, the project is rooted in inquiry-based learning (IBL), which is developed using virtual or remote online laboratories to maximize the effect on secondary education teachers and students. This paper describes these three facets, putting special emphasis on the deployment process and the results achieved in Spain. The Spanish contribution has been the most relevant to the development of the Go-Lab ecosystem in schools, since it accounts for nearly 25% of the total number of teachers who develop and implement Go-Lab in their schools and involves a total of 281schools in the country. It has been observed that the Go-Lab ecosystem apps provide students the necessary experience to be protagonists of their learning through a creative and research role that promotes the youth approach to STEM disciplines

Development of risk profiling.

This report contributes further to the Survey, Deploy and Monitor policy guidance, acting as a guide for users wishing to apply a risk-based approach at a Member State level. To this end, it undertakes a review and further development of the three main pillars on which such an approach is based: environmental sensitivity of the site, the risk profile of the technology and the scale of the proposed project. This comes as part of the RiCORE project, which aimed to promote the use of offshore renewable energy projects in the EU by streamlining consenting processes

RiCORE project novel technology selection.

This report compiles and inventory of technology types (within the tidal, wave and offshore wind categories) that the RiCORE project considers when providing recommendations and guidelines in favour of implementing a risk-based consenting approach for offshore renewable energy projects

Yes, We Can! Large-Scale Integrative Assessment of European Regional Seas, Using Open Access Databases

Substantial progress has been made in assessing marine health in an integrative way. However, managers are still reluctant in undertaking such assessments, because: (i) lack of indicators; (ii) absence of targets; (iii) difficulty of aggregating indicators from different ecosystem components, habitats, and areas; (iv) absence of criteria on the number of indicators to be used; (v) discussion on the use of “one-out, all-out” (OOAO) principle in aggregating; and (vi) lack of traceability when integrating data. Our objective was, using open access databases with indicators across all the European seas with agreed targets, to demonstrate if the Nested Environmental status Assessment Tool (NEAT), can be used at the European scale, serving to managers and policy-makers as a tool to assess the environmental status under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). We have used MSFD Descriptor D3 (commercial fish) from 341 stocks, 119 species and two indicators from each of them (years 2013–2015); D5 (eutrophication) with 90th percentile of Chlorophyll-a (years 2009–2014); and D8 (contaminants), with Anthracene, Fluoranthene, Naphthalene, Cadmium, Nickel, and Lead as indicators (years 2009–2013). We have calculated the environmental status for each European subdivision, subregion, and regional sea, nested at different levels. The analyses include weighting and no-weighting by each assessment area; for ecosystem component (water column, phytoplankton, fish, crustaceans, and molluscs); descriptor (three), and habitat (pelagic, demersal/benthic), with the confidence value of the status. A sensitivity analysis was undertaken to determine a minimum number of indicators to include for a robust assessment. We demonstrated that using NEAT in assessing the status of large marine areas, by aggregating indicators, ecosystem components and descriptors, at different spatial scales, can remove at least four out of the six barriers that managers and policy-makers confront when undertaking such assessments. This can be done by using open-access databases and already established targets. Aggregating indicators of different origin is possible. Around 40 indicators seem to be enough to obtain robust assessments. It is better to integrate the assessment items using an ecosystem-based approach, rather than using the OOAO principle. Using NEAT, this approach supports identifying the problematic environmental issues needing management attention and measures

Report on potential emerging innovative monitoring approaches, identifying potential reductions in monitoring costs and evaluation of existing long-term datasets.

This report highlights the potential for using emerging and innovative technologies for pre-consent surveys of key receptor groups at proposed marine renewable energy sites. The report also identifies potential reductions in cost through comparison of currently-used survey methods. This comes as part of the RiCORE project, which aimed to promote the use of offshore renewable energy projects in the EU by streamlining consenting processes

Propuesta de evaluación de competencias genéricas mediante un juego serio

This paper focuses on the design of a serious game for the teaching and assessment of generic competences, placing particular emphasis on the competences assessment aspect. Taking into account important aspects of competence assessment such as context, feedback and transparency, among other aspects, and using the University of Deusto's Generic Competences Assessment Model based on the defining of levels, indicators and descriptors as a reference point, a serious game has been designed for the development and evaluation of two Generic Competences: Problem Solving and Entrepreneurship, aimed at final-year undergraduate and first-year postgraduate students. The design process shows that having a Competence Assessment Model based on levels, indicators and descriptors is of great help in defining the game's scenarios and learning and assessment activities. Serious games can also be excellent resources to help in the development and assessment of generic competences, but not as a unique tool, since the concept of competence in itself is highly complex (integrating knowledge, skills, attitudes and values) and some elements might require other methods and techniques for its development. It also reveals the difficulties of evaluating competences in general and through serious games in particular.Esta investigación se centra en el diseño de un juego serio que serviría como una herramienta de la enseñanza y de la evaluación de las competencias genéricas, haciendo especial hincapié en la evaluación de competencias. Se utiliza el juego serio para el desarrollo y la evaluación de dos competencias genéricas: resolución de problemas e iniciativa empresarial, dirigido a los estudiantes de último curso de grado y de primer curso de postgrado, ha sido diseñado teniendo en cuenta los aspectos importantes de la evaluación de competencias, tales como el contexto, la retroalimentación y la transparencia, entre otros, y haciendo uso del Modelo de Evaluación de Competencias Genéricas de la Universidad de Deusto basado en la definición de los niveles, indicadores y descriptores como punto de referencia. El proceso de diseño muestra que un Modelo de Evaluación de Competencias basado en los niveles, indicadores y descriptores sirve de gran ayuda en la definición de los escenarios y de las actividades de aprendizaje y  evaluación. Los juegos serios también pueden servir como recursos excelentes para contribuir en el desarrollo y en la evaluación de competencias genéricas, pero no como una herramienta única, ya que el concepto de competencia en sí es muy complejo (integrando conocimientos, habilidades, actitudes y valores) y algunos elementos podrían requerir otros métodos y técnicas para su desarrollo. Además este trabajo también revela las dificultades de evaluación de competencias, en general, y mediante juegos serios, en particular

Review of the state of the art and future direction of the Survey, Deploy and Monitor policy.

This report reviews the state of the art of the Survey, Deploy and Monitor Licensing Policy Guidance in order to set the basis for its further development to all relevant technologies in the offshore renewable energy sector, including the adaptation of the policy as new technologies emerge. This comes as part of the RiCORE project, which aimed to promote the use of offshore renewable energy projects in the EU by streamlining consenting processes