Nova Scotia is moving ahead with a procurement process to fill two tidal energy berths at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE), located in the Minas Passage. The province has tapped Power Advisory to manage the process, which is expected to begin in May.
According to the Nova Scotia government, the berths became available after DP Energy subsidiaries withdrew from the site.
Two other FORCE berths are occupied by Eauclaire Tidal Limited Partnership and Reconcept Group, while a fifth berth remains off-limits as the Department of Energy (DOE) addresses the issue of an abandoned OpenHydro turbine .
Successful applicants will be awarded licences and power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Nova Scotia Power. They will also be required to reach separate agreements with FORCE to access the test facility.
“Nova Scotia has the highest tides of the world and there is great potential to harness them to generate clean electricity, create more green jobs and attract more investment,” said the Nova Scotia government.
Only companies with proven technical and financial capacity to construct, operate, and decommission tidal projects will be eligible to participate. Power Advisory has previously overseen similar procurement efforts for the provincial government.