OpenHydro Group Ltd (OpenHydro) has awarded a contract to Cherubini Metal Works (Cherubini) for the supply of a subsea base to support the installation of its first tidal turbine in Canadian waters. The unit is scheduled for deployment 2009 fall in the Minas Passage of the Bay of Fundy. The contract is valued at $1.7 million (EUR1 million). The project is being developed in partnership with Nova Scotia Power Inc. (Nova Scotia) and support from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).
The project includes the supply of the subsea base and services to support the deployment of OpenHydro’s first 10 meter, 1 megawatt (MW) rated, Open-Centre Turbine in the Bay of Fundy.
Commenting on the announcement, James Ives, chief executive, OpenHydro said: “The Bay of Fundy is one of the world’s key tidal sites and we are delighted to have completed this significant milestone toward deploying our first unit there. OpenHydro’s vision is to develop arrays of tidal turbines, silently and invisibly generating renewable energy under the world’s oceans and this marks a further step forward towards achieving that goal.”
“We are very excited to have been selected for this unique and innovative project”, said Stephen Ross, general manager of Cherubini. “The timing of the contract award is important, not only in creating new jobs here in Nova Scotia, but also in preserving existing jobs during these uncertain economic times. Work is expected to begin over the next few weeks with completion in August 2009. Even more important is the development of this technology and the very real potential for many more of these structures in the future.”
“Nova Scotia Power has been harnessing the power of the Bay of Fundy for a quarter century,” said Rob Bennett, president and chief executive officer of Nova Scotia Power. “We are excited to be at the forefront of testing the next generation of tidal power technology. The involvement of leading firms such as OpenHydro and Cherubini will help us realize our goal of delivering more clean and renewable energy to Nova Scotians.”
Energy Minister Barry Barnet said, “I congratulate Cherubini and OpenHydro for joining our efforts to help Nova Scotia move away from imported, coal-based electricity towards a greener local supply. Cherubini is also leading the way for more Nova Scotia companies to participate in the project in the future. Today’s announcement confirms that the skills and expertise earned from years in offshore oil and gas can also be successful in the tidal energy industry.
Nova Scotia Power’s involvement with this tidal energy test facility is supported by SDTC, an arm’s-length, not-for-profit corporation created by the Government of Canada to support the development and demonstration of innovative technological solutions that address issues related to climate change, air quality, clean water, and clean soil.