This Conference will bring together researchers, developers, federal and state agencies, industry and scientists to explore cutting-edge science and technology to identify gaps in the current state of knowledge regarding the environmental impacts of renewable ocean energy. The effects on the marine environment of large-scale hydrokinetic and thermal power generation are largely unknown. Marine ecosystems include many protected species which rely on complex food chains and undertake extensive migration patterns. Understanding how the operations of power generation systems will interact with these marine ecosystems will be a critical first step toward deploying equipment in a sustainable fashion.