OERA seeks proposals to revise Bay of Fundy tidal study

 
Canada-based Offshore Energy Research Association (OERA) is seeking requests for proposals to bring up to date the marine renewable energy infrastructure assessment study for the Bay of Fundy conducted in 2011.

Commissioned by the Nova Scotia Department of Energy, the new study will build upon the ‘Marine Renewable Energy Infrastructure Assessment’ completed in 2011, to identify and revise the infrastructure within the Bay of Fundy that could be used to support future marine renewable energy developments, and to identify infrastructure improvement projects that would augment the province’s capabilities in this regard.

The 2011 study, which examined the dry and wet ports in the Bay of Fundy and New Brunswick, found that proximity to the deployment site is important, and while dry ports could be used for servicing and maintaining devices, gravity based devices would require a wet port for deployment.

Since the 2011 study, new tidal developers have been awarded projects in the Bay of Fundy and these developers exploit different technologies than those contemplated four years ago, it is stated in OERA’s call for proposals.

This new study is to provide additional details on the marine renewable infrastructure available to service tidal energy industry as it moves towards commercialization.

The main scope of work for the new study includes the review of the 2011 study to identify where significant change occurred, port related infrastructure, determining the limitations related to servicing devices out of a dry port, evaluating proximity requirements for O&M versus manufacturing requirements, and determining and comparing the infrastructure required to improve the capability of Nova Scotia companies to meet the needs of the development, service and supply chains for marine renewable energy projects out of selected ports.

Request for proposals are due on or before April 18, 2016.