Scotland-based tidal energy company Nova Innovation announced December 11 that it has received a permit to develop a 1.5 MW tidal array in Petit Passage, in the Bay of Fundy area of Nova Scotia. A careful phased approach starting with a single turbine in 2020, then three phases of 0.5 MW, will eventually see 15 new tidal stream turbines installed by 2023. The turbines will be positioned on the seabed to generate clean electricity from the natural ebb and flow of the tide – enough to power 600 homes.
The company plans to deploy the turbines gradually within each phase, so that environmental effects can be carefully monitored. The first 0.5 MW will be further split into two phases to enable deployment and environmental monitoring of a single turbine first (Phase 1a), before the next four turbines are added to the array (Phase 1b). Each phase of the project will be monitored to build an understanding of any environmental effects of the turbines before the next phase proceeds.
The area is popular for whale watching. Nova is currently discussing the best approach to phasing with the Nova Scotia and Federal Government, First Nation Communities, the fishing community and local residents. Significant work will be carried out to gather information on the marine environment in Petit Passage before Nova deploys the first turbine.
The company says the province has agreed to pay Nova Innovation 50 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity from the 15 new turbines, “recognizing the costs of developing a ground-breaking new energy technology. This long-term approach will enable Canada to become the global hub of the sector, establish a highly skilled supply chain, help regenerate coastal communities and capitalise on the high-quality jobs being created by the industry.”
Nova Innovation lays claim to having deployed the world’s first fully-operational, grid-connected offshore tidal energy array, at Bluemull Sound in Shetland, Scotland, beginning in March 2016. The array is to be enlarged from the current three turbines, 100 kW each, to six by summer 2022.
Scotland also has the claim to having installed the world’s first floating offshore wind farm, the 30MW Hywind project.
A January 23 article in Renew Economy (reneweconomy.com.au/), citing a recent report from Scottish Renewables, says that Scotland can expect to reach 100% renewable-sourced electricity in time to host the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, in November. Having closed its last coal-fired power plant in 2016, the country’s only remaining fossil fuel source is a gas-fired power station at Peterhead in Aberdeenshire.