YARMOUTH -- The head of Nova Scotia Power says he is confident that tidal energy developers will be able to address concerns raised by the fishing industry.
Speaking to the Yarmouth and Area Chamber of Commerce, Bob Hanf, Nova Scotia Power’s president and CEO, said the energy potential of the Bay of Fundy could make it a “game-changing resource.”
He acknowledged too the importance of the fisheries, “so it’s important that all stakeholders have the opportunity to be fully consulted and heard, which is why Emera (which owns Nova Scotia Power) has slowed things down a bit to have conversations with fishermen.”
Already, in the early days of tidal energy development, Nova Scotia is recognized as a leader — not just within Canada, but globally.
We have the best tidal energy resource and supportive policies that have attracted investment and world-leading developers. We have decades of experience and expertise from the offshore and ocean technology sectors that can be adapted and transferred to tidal energy.
But Nova Scotia is not the only place with these favourable conditions. The United Kingdom, France, Ireland, the United States, Chile and a dozen more countries have been pursuing tidal and wave energy, with a focus on not only developing clean electricity but also capturing the economic benefits a new industry like this will create.
The main obstacle to tidal power turbines hitting the Bay of Fundy this summer has been cleared.
Environment Minister Margaret Miller announced Monday approval for the proposed Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) and Cape Sharp Tidal Venture test platforms and monitoring program.
FORCE is the nation's test centre for in-stream tidal energy technology providing developers with a shared observation facility, submarine cables, grid connection and now, approved environmental monitoring on its leased site in the Minas Passage.
FORCE's latest version of its environmental monitoring plan was given written authorization by Nova Scotia environment minister Margaret Miller on Monday.
The province has approved a plan to deploy two experimental tidal turbines in the Minas Passage for research purposes — and doesn't anticipate marine life will be chopped up by "any food processor effects."
The government announced the approval of the proposed monitoring program for the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) and Cape Sharp Tidal Venture in a news release on Monday.
Nonetheless, the project is currently on pause while Cape Sharp Tidal Venture consults with fishing organizations "who feel that they have not yet been heard," company spokeswoman Sarah Dawson said in an email. "We wouldn't want to pre-judge the process."
