“It’s exciting to have reached this point in the turbine’s development,” Nova Scotia President and Chief Executive Officer Rob Bennett said. “Nova Scotia Power has been harnessing the power of the Bay of Fundy since the 1980s, and we’re looking forward to the results and the potential of this emerging technology as part of our overall shift to more renewable energy in Nova Scotia. Reaching this milestone was only possible with the support and work of our partners at Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE), particularly Minas Basin Pulp & Power.”
“We are delighted to be working with Nova Scotia Power on this innovative project”, OpenHydro Chief Executive Officer James Ives said. ”We believe that the Bay of Fundy holds huge potential as a source of clean renewable energy and we look forward to completing the installation of our first 1MW turbine this Fall and beginning the detailed turbine and environmental monitoring programme. We are extremely grateful to Cherubini Metal Works for completing construction of the steel subsea base on time and to such a high quality.”
Cherubini Metal Works Ltd (Cherubini Metal Works) was awarded a CAD1.7 Million contract in April 2009 to supply the OpenHydro-designed subsea base and to provide support services to the project.
“We are very pleased to have been selected to work on this innovative and unique project,” Cherubini Metal Works General Manager Steve Ross said. “The project has provided the opportunity to be on the forefront of this new energy technology and also has created important jobs here in Nova Scotia. We look forward to the potential of creating a new fabrication industry here in Nova Scotia around tidal energy.”
The 10-meter turbine will be deployed in the Minas Passage of the Bay of Fundy this fall as part of the FORCE tidal test site. Testing will last up to two years. Operational data will be collected and shared by Nova Scotia and OpenHydro to determine the environmental performance and future feasibility of tidal power in the Bay of Fundy. The testing will focus on the robustness of the turbine in the harsh environment of the Bay of Fundy, close monitoring of any environmental impacts of the turbine, and the energy production capabilities of the technology. Nova Scotia looks forward to being an active participant, along with FORCE, in the ongoing monitoring of the test site.
“Our Government supports clean technologies that provide opportunities for economic growth while offering innovative solutions to help protect our environment,” Minister of International Trade’s Parliamentary Secretary Gerald Keddy said. “This investment will move forward new technologies that will foster a healthy, cleaner and more prosperous Canada.”
Nova Scotia’s involvement with this tidal energy test facility is supported by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), an arm’s-length, not-for-profit corporation created by the Government of Canada.
“Anyone who has spent time on Canada’s coasts is aware of the immense power of the tides,” SDTC President and CEO Vicky J. Sharpe said. “SDTC is proud to be working with Nova Scotia Power and its partners to harness the power of the Bay of Fundy tides and use it to produce clean, renewable electricity.”
