Canada boosts tidal energy development

Government of Canada has granted four awards in an effort to help tidal energy developers deploy the first turbine arrays in the Bay of Fundy, the Government’s press release reads.

In October, developers at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) applied to the Department of Energy to receive a developmental feed-in tariff, an established price per kilowatt hour.

The Utility and Review Board set the tariff in 2013, and it is managed by the Energy Department.

Four developers have received approval through the program for a total of 17.5 megawatts of electricity:

• Minas Energy, 4 MW
• Black Rock Tidal Power, 5 MW
• Atlantis Operations Canada, 4.5 MW
• Cape Sharp Tidal Venture, 4 MW

Andrew Younger, Energy Minister, said: “We’re committed to ensuring the industry moves forward in an environmentally responsible and sustainable way.”

The approval allows the developers to enter into a 15-year power purchase agreement with Nova Scotia Power. The first turbines are expected to operate in the Bay of Fundy in 2015.

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Image: Open Hydro